UNDERGROUND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1993-11-15

Full text: Cossetted deep underground, sheltered from cosmic ray noise, has always been a favourite haunt of neutrino physicists. Already in the 1930s, significant limits were obtained by taking a geiger counter down in Holborn 'tube' station, one of the deepest in London's underground system. Since then, neutrino physicists have popped up in many unlikely places - gold mines, salt mines, and road tunnels deep under mountain chains. Two such locations - the 1MB (Irvine/ Michigan/Brookhaven) detector 600 metres below ground in an Ohio salt mine, and the Kamiokande apparatus 1000m underground 300 km west of Tokyo - picked up neutrinos on 23 February 1987 from the famous 1987A supernova. Purpose-built underground laboratories have made life easier, notably the Italian Gran Sasso Laboratory near Rome, 1.4 kilometres below the surface, and the Russian Baksan Neutrino Observatory under Mount Andyrchi in the Caucasus range. Gran Sasso houses ICARUS (April, page 15), Gallex, Borexino, Macro and the LVD Large Volume Detector, while Baksan is the home of the SAGE gallium-based solar neutrino experiment. Elsewhere, important ongoing underground neutrino experiments include Soudan II in the US (April, page 16), the Canadian Sudbury Neutrino Observatory with its heavy water target (January 1990, page 23), and Superkamiokande in Japan (May 1991, page 8)

Leaking Underground Storage Tank Points, Region 9 Indian Country, 2017, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This GIS dataset contains point features that represent Leaking Underground Storage Tanks in US EPA Region 9 Indian Country. This dataset contains facility name and...

[The effect of hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater for nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis mice model].

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhifeng; Xu, Yu; Ou, Jin; Xiang, Rong; Tao, Zezhang

2014-12-01

To study the effect of hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater for nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis mice model, and explore the possible mechanism of nasal irrigation with seawater in treatment of allergic rhinitis. We used Der pl to make allergic rhinitis model of BALB/c mice, and divided them into three groups randomly. Nasal irrigation with hypertonic seawater (HS) or isotonic seawater (IS) in the treatment group 1-14 days after modeling, and black control (BC) group was given no treatment after modeling. Normal control (NC) group was given no treatment, the number of rubs and sneezings in each group were counted in 30 min after the last nasal irrigation. Mice were then killed 24 h after the last therapy. The noses of mice from each group were removed and fixed, then the slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, the others were observed by transmission electron microscope. Mice with hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater were significantly improved in rubs and sneezings compared to the black control group (P 0. 05); Ciliated columnar epithelium cells in mucosal tissues of HS group and IS group were arranged trimly, better than that in the black control group. Morphology and microstructure in nasal mucosal of HS group was closer to the normal group than in IS group. The injury of nasal mucosa ciliated epithelium was significantly improved by nasal irrigation with hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater, and the former is better than the latter, the mechanism of nasal irrigation with seawater in treatment of allergic rhinitis may rely on repairing the injured nasal mucosa ciliated epithelium, thereby the symptoms of nasal was reduced.

SRB seawater corrosion project

Science.gov (United States)

Bozack, M. J.

1991-01-01

The corrosion behavior of 2219 aluminum when exposed to seawater was characterized. Controlled corrosion experiments at three different temperatures (30, 60 and 100 C) and two different environments (seawater and 3.5 percent salt solution) were designed to elucidate the initial stages in the corrosion process. It was found that 2219 aluminum is an active catalytic surface for growth of Al2O3, NaCl, and MgO. Formation of Al2O3 is favored at lower temperatures, while MgO is favored at higher temperatures. Visible corrosion products are formed within 30 minutes after seawater exposure. Corrosion characteristics in 3.5 percent salt solution are different than corrosion in seawater. Techniques utilized were: (1) scanning electron microscopy, (2) energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and (3) Auger electron spectroscopy.

UNDERGROUND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Full text: Cossetted deep underground, sheltered from cosmic ray noise, has always been a favourite haunt of neutrino physicists. Already in the 1930s, significant limits were obtained by taking a geiger counter down in Holborn 'tube' station, one of the deepest in London's underground system. Since then, neutrino physicists have popped up in many unlikely places - gold mines, salt mines, and road tunnels deep under mountain chains. Two such locations - the 1MB (Irvine/ Michigan/Brookhaven) detector 600 metres below ground in an Ohio salt mine, and the Kamiokande apparatus 1000m underground 300 km west of Tokyo - picked up neutrinos on 23 February 1987 from the famous 1987A supernova. Purpose-built underground laboratories have made life easier, notably the Italian Gran Sasso Laboratory near Rome, 1.4 kilometres below the surface, and the Russian Baksan Neutrino Observatory under Mount Andyrchi in the Caucasus range. Gran Sasso houses ICARUS (April, page 15), Gallex, Borexino, Macro and the LVD Large Volume Detector, while Baksan is the home of the SAGE gallium-based solar neutrino experiment. Elsewhere, important ongoing underground neutrino experiments include Soudan II in the US (April, page 16), the Canadian Sudbury Neutrino Observatory with its heavy water target (January 1990, page 23), and Superkamiokande in Japan (May 1991, page 8)

Collecting underground seawater with directed horizontal drains on the coast; Captacion en el litroal de agua marina subterranea con drenes horizontales dirigidos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camps Querol, J.

2007-07-01

On the face of it, given the huge amount of seawater available on the sea coast, obtaining such water for use as a raw material should be a relatively simple task. It certainly is when we collect some in a bucket at the beach, but it is not so simple when large quantities are required so that they can be desalinised, as there are various factors that make collecting it more difficult. That is why this article presents a collection technique that uses directed horizontal drains under the sea bed which makes it possible to collect seawater that is unclouded and free of organic matter, properties that greatly facilities its subsequent treatment with membrane techniques. (Author) 7 refs.

Seawater predesalination with electrodialysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galama, A.H.; Saakes, M.; Bruning, H.; Rijnaarts, H.H.M.; Post, J.W.

2014-01-01

The suitability of ED for seawater desalination was investigated and we quantified the energy losses that play a role in electrodialysis. The combination of electrodialysis (ED) and brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) is presented as an alternative desalination strategy for seawater reverse

Indian Country Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Points, Region 9, 2016, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This GIS dataset contains point features that represent Leaking Underground Storage Tanks in US EPA Region 9 Indian Country. This dataset contains facility name and...

Feasibilty study of renewable energy powered seawater desalination technology using natural vacuum technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayhan, Teoman; Al Madani, Hussain [Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, P.O. box 32038, Isatown 32036 (Bahrain)

2010-02-15

With an ever-increasing population and rapid growth of industrialization, there is great demand for fresh water. Desalination has been a key proponent to meet the future challenges due to decreasing availability of fresh water. However, desalination uses significant amount of energy, today mostly from fossil fuels. It is, therefore, reasonable to rely on renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, ocean thermal energy, waste heat from the industry and other renewable sources. The present study deals with the energy-efficient seawater desalination system utilizing renewable energy sources and natural vacuum technique. A new desalination technology named Natural Vacuum Desalination is proposed. The novel desalination technique achieve remarkable energy efficiency through the evaporation of seawater under vacuum and will be described in sufficient detail to demonstrate that it requires much less electric energy compared to any conventional desalination plant of fresh water production of similar capacity. The discussion will highlight the main operative and maintenance features of the proposed natural vacuum seawater desalination technology which seems to have promising techno-economic potential providing also advantageous coupling with renewable energy sources. (author)

The strontium isotopic composition of seawater, and seawater-oceanic crust interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spooner, E.T.C.

1976-01-01

The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of seawater strontium (0.7091) is less than the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of dissolved strontium delivered to the oceans by continental run-off (approximately 0.716). Isotope exchange with strontium isotopically lighter oceanic crust during hydrothermal convection within spreading oceanic ridges can explain this observation. In quantitative terms, the current 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of seawater (0.7091) may be maintained by balancing the continental run-off flux of strontium (0.59 x 10 12 g/yr) against a hydrothermal recirculation flux of 3.6 x 10 12 g/yr, during which the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of seawater drops by 0.0011. A concomitant mean increase in the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of the upper 4.5 km of oceanic crust of 0.0010 (0.7029-0.7039) should be produced. This required 87 Sr enrichment has been observed in hydrothermally metamorphosed ophiolitic rocks from the Troodos Massif, Cyprus. The post-Upper Cretaceous increase in the strontium isotopic composition of seawater (approximately 0.7075-0.7091) covaries smoothly with inferred increase in land area. This suggests that during this period the main factor which has caused variability in the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of seawater strontium could have been variation in the magnitude of the continental run-off flux caused by variation in land area. Variations in land area may themselves have been partly a consequence of variations in global mean sea-floor spreading rate. (Auth.)

Underground storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Environmental contamination from leaking underground storage tanks poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. An estimated five to six million underground storage tanks containing hazardous substances or petroleum products are in use in the US. Originally placed underground as a fire prevention measure, these tanks have substantially reduced the damages from stored flammable liquids. However, an estimated 400,000 underground tanks are thought to be leaking now, and many more will begin to leak in the near future. Products released from these leaking tanks can threaten groundwater supplies, damage sewer lines and buried cables, poison crops, and lead to fires and explosions. As required by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA), the EPA has been developing a comprehensive regulatory program for underground storage tanks. The EPA proposed three sets of regulations pertaining to underground tanks. The first addressed technical requirements for petroleum and hazardous substance tanks, including new tank performance standards, release detection, release reporting and investigation, corrective action, and tank closure. The second proposed regulation addresses financial responsibility requirements for underground petroleum tanks. The third addressed standards for approval of state tank programs

Underground pipeline corrosion

CERN Document Server

Orazem, Mark

2014-01-01

Underground pipelines transporting liquid petroleum products and natural gas are critical components of civil infrastructure, making corrosion prevention an essential part of asset-protection strategy. Underground Pipeline Corrosion provides a basic understanding of the problems associated with corrosion detection and mitigation, and of the state of the art in corrosion prevention. The topics covered in part one include: basic principles for corrosion in underground pipelines, AC-induced corrosion of underground pipelines, significance of corrosion in onshore oil and gas pipelines, n

Displacement Parameter Inversion for a Novel Electromagnetic Underground Displacement Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanying Shentu

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Underground displacement monitoring is an effective method to explore deep into rock and soil masses for execution of subsurface displacement measurements. It is not only an important means of geological hazards prediction and forecasting, but also a forefront, hot and sophisticated subject in current geological disaster monitoring. In previous research, the authors had designed a novel electromagnetic underground horizontal displacement sensor (called the H-type sensor by combining basic electromagnetic induction principles with modern sensing techniques and established a mutual voltage measurement theoretical model called the Equation-based Equivalent Loop Approach (EELA. Based on that work, this paper presents an underground displacement inversion approach named “EELA forward modeling-approximate inversion method”. Combining the EELA forward simulation approach with the approximate optimization inversion theory, it can deduce the underground horizontal displacement through parameter inversion of the H-type sensor. Comprehensive and comparative studies have been conducted between the experimentally measured and theoretically inversed values of horizontal displacement under counterpart conditions. The results show when the measured horizontal displacements are in the 0–100 mm range, the horizontal displacement inversion discrepancy is generally tested to be less than 3 mm under varied tilt angles and initial axial distances conditions, which indicates that our proposed parameter inversion method can predict underground horizontal displacement measurements effectively and robustly for the H-type sensor and the technique is applicable for practical geo-engineering applications.

Impact of seawater [Ca

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mewes, A.; Langer, G.; Thoms, S.; Nehrke, G.; Reichart, G.J.; de Nooijer, L.J.; Bijma, J.

2015-01-01

Mg / Ca ratios in foraminiferal tests are routinely used as paleotemperature proxies, but on long timescales, they also hold the potential to reconstruct past seawater Mg / Ca. The impact of both temperature and seawater Mg / Ca on Mg incorporation in Foraminifera has been quantified by a number of

Sorption isolation of strontium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avramenko, V.A.; Zheleznov, V.V.; Kaplun, E.V.; Sokol'nitskaya, T.A.; Yukhkam, A.A.

2001-01-01

Sorption isolation of strontium from seawater is considered and prospects of use of selective adsorbents for purification of seawater or liquid radioactive wastes mixed with seawater from 90 Sr are discussed. Comparative analysis of sorptive properties of adsorbents of different nature is done. It is shown that sorption-reagent materials developed by authors can to afford effective separation of 90 Sr from seawater. Possible mechanism of strontium sorption by these adsorbents is considered. The prospect of their use for purification of liquid radioactive wastes from strontium is shown [ru

The Canfranc Underground Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amare, J.; Beltran, B.; Carmona, J.M.; Cebrian, S.; Garcia, E.; Irastorza, I.G.; Gomez, H.; Luzon, G.; Martinez, M.; Morales, J.; Ortiz de Solorzano, A.; Pobes, C.; Puimedon, J.; Rodriguez, A.; Ruz, J.; Sarsa, M.L.; Torres, L.; Villar, J.A.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the forthcoming enlargement of the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) which will allow to host new international Astroparticle Physics experiments and therefore to broaden the European underground research area. The new Canfranc Underground Laboratory will operate in coordination (through the ILIAS Project) with the Gran Sasso (Italy), Modane (France) and Boulby (UK) underground laboratories

Development of radioactive seawater monitors, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukushima, Masanori

1989-01-01

Applicability of some adsorptive materials to monitoring of radioactive seawater is generalized. Studied techniques that allow utilization of adsorptive materials in monitoring radioactive seawater are the substitute methods using sampled seawater or indicator plants such as gulfweed and the method using adsorptive materials for continuous monitoring of underwater radioactivity, the method using them for field measurement of under water radioactivity from a boat, and the method using an adsorptive material moored underwater for integration monitoring of underwater radioactivity. Selected adsorptive materials that were judged suitable for monitoring radioactive seawater is the one composed of some kind of adsorptive compound (manganese dioxide or ferrocyan cobalt potassium) fixed to crylic cellulose. This adsorptive material permits selective scavenging radioactive Cs, Mn, Co, Zn, Ce, Fe, Ru, Ra Th, Pu and Am from seawater. (aurhor)

Design study of underground facility of the Underground Research Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hibiya, Keisuke; Akiyoshi, Kenji; Ishizuka, Mineo; Anezaki, Susumu

1998-03-01

Geoscientific research program to study deep geological environment has been performed by Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC). This research is supported by 'Long-Term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy'. An Underground Research Laboratory is planned to be constructed at Shoma-sama Hora in the research area belonging to PNC. A wide range of geoscientific research and development activities which have been previously studied at the Tono Area is planned in the laboratory. The Underground Research Laboratory is consisted of Surface Laboratory and Underground Research Facility located from the surface down to depth between several hundreds and 1,000 meters. Based on the results of design study in last year, the design study performed in this year is to investigate the followings in advance of studies for basic design and practical design: concept, design procedure, design flow and total layout. As a study for the concept of the underground facility, items required for the facility are investigated and factors to design the primary form of the underground facility are extracted. Continuously, design methods for the vault and the underground facility are summarized. Furthermore, design procedures of the extracted factors are summarized and total layout is studied considering the results to be obtained from the laboratory. (author)

Molecular characterisation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwaters from the Aespoe Underground Research Laboratory (Sweden)): A novel 'finger printing' tool for palaeo-hydrological assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vane, C. H.; Kim, A. W.; Milodowski, A. E.; Smellie, J.; Tullborg, E. L.; West, J. M.

2008-01-01

The molecular signature of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwaters can be used as a tool when investigating the palaeo-hydrological response of groundwater systems in relation to changes in recharge environment, and also for examining groundwater compartmentalisation, mixing and transport at underground repositories for radioactive waste. The DOM in groundwaters from two compartmentalised bodies of groundwater of distinctly different origin within the Aespoe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) (Sweden)) and in Baltic seawater has been isolated using tangential flow ultrafiltration (TUF) and dia-filtration. Recoveries of DOM ranged from 34.7 to 0.1 mg/L with substantial differences in the concentrations of the groundwaters collected only 120 m apart. Analysis by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) of the isolated DOM revealed that the groundwaters contained abundant alkylphenols which may represent heavily decomposed proteins or lignins originating from biopolymers contained within soils. The difference in the distribution and relative abundance of major pyrolysis products groups such as alkylphenols confirmed that the groundwater and Baltic seawater DOM samples were chemically distinct indicating minimal infiltration of marine groundwater derived by recharge from the Baltic or earlier Littorina Sea within the two compartmentalised groundwater bodies. (authors)

Degradation of Organic UV filters in Chlorinated Seawater Swimming Pools: Transformation Pathways and Bromoform Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Manasfi, Tarek; Coulomb, Bruno; Ravier, Sylvain; Boudenne, Jean-Luc

2017-12-05

Organic ultraviolet (UV) filters are used in sunscreens and other personal-care products to protect against harmful effects of exposure to UV solar radiation. Little is known about the fate of UV filters in seawater swimming pools disinfected with chlorine. The present study investigated the occurrence and fate of five commonly used organic UV filters, namely dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, avobenzone, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate, and octocrylene, in chlorinated seawater swimming pools. Pool samples were collected to monitor the variation of UV filter concentrations during pool opening hours. Furthermore, laboratory-controlled chlorination experiments were conducted in seawater spiked with UV filters to investigate the reactivity of UV filters. Extracts of chlorination reaction samples were analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry and electron-capture detection to identify the potentially formed byproducts. In the collected pool samples, all the UV filters except dioxybenzone were detected. Chlorination reactions showed that only octocrylene was stable in chlorinated seawater. The four reactive UV filters generated brominated transformation products and disinfection byproducts. This formation of brominated products resulted from reactions between the reactive UV filters and bromine, which is formed rapidly when chlorine is added to seawater. Based on the identified byproducts, the transformation pathways of the reactive UV filters were proposed for the first time. Bromoform was generated by all the reactive UV filters at different yields. Bromal hydrate was also detected as one of the byproducts generated by oxybenzone and dioxybenzone.

200 Area plateau inactive miscellaneous underground storage tanks locations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brevick, C.H.

1997-01-01

Fluor Daniel Northwest (FDNW) has been tasked by Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation (LMHC) to incorporate current location data for 64 of the 200-Area plateau inactive miscellaneous underground storage tanks (IMUST) into the centralized mapping computer database for the Hanford facilities. The IMUST coordinate locations and tank names for the tanks currently assigned to the Hanford Site contractors are listed in Appendix A. The IMUST are inactive tanks installed in underground vaults or buried directly in the ground within the 200-East and 200-West Areas of the Hanford Site. The tanks are categorized as tanks with a capacity of less than 190,000 liters (50,000 gal). Some of the IMUST have been stabilized, pumped dry, filled with grout, or may contain an inventory or radioactive and/or hazardous materials. The IMUST have been out of service for at least 12 years

Neodymium isotopic variations in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piepgras, D.J.; Wasserburg, G.J.

1980-01-01

New data for the direct measurement of the isotopic composition of neodymium in Atlantic Ocean seawater are compared with previous measurements of Pacific Ocean seawater and ferromanganese sediments from major ocean basins. Data for Atlantic seawater are in excellent agreement with Nd isotopic measurements made on Atlantic ferromanganese sediments and are distinctly different from the observed compositions of Pacific samples. These results clearly demonstrate the existence of distinctive differences in the isotopic composition of Nd in the waters of the major ocean basins and are characteristic of the ocean basin sampled. The average epsilonsub(N)sub(d)(0) values for the major oceans as determined by data from seawater and ferromanganese sediments are as follows: Atlantic Ocean, epsilonsub(N)sub(d)(0) approx. equal to - 12 +- 2; Indian Ocean, epsilonsub(N)sub(d)(0) approx. equal to - 8 +- 2; Pacific Ocean, epsilonsub(N)sub(d)(0) approx. equal to -3 +- 2. These values are considerably less than epsilonsub(N)sub(d)(0) value sources with oceanic mantle affinities indicating that the REE in the oceans are dominated by continental sources. The difference in the absolute abundance of 143 Nd between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans corresponds to approx. 10 6 atoms 143 Nd per gram of seawater. The correspondence between the 143 Nd/ 144 Nd in seawater and in the associated sediments suggests the possible application of this approach to paleo-oceanography. (orig./HAE)

Recovery of uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirotsu, Takahiro; Takagi, Norio; Katoh, Shunsaku

1995-01-01

Present status of the development of chelating adsorbents for the recovery of uranium from seawater is outlined with emphasis on the research by the author. Uranium is estimated to exist as stable tri (carbonate) uranylate (6) ion in seawater in a very low concentration. The adsorbent for uranium from seawater in a very low concentration. The adsorbent for uranium from seawater should have high selectivity and affinity for uranium around pH 8. The required characteristics for uranium adsorbent are examined. Various chelating adsorbents have been proposed for the uranium adsorbent and their structures are discussed. Amidoxime type adsorbents have the highest adsorbing power for uranium among the adsorbents hitherto developed and fibrous amidoxime adsorbents are most promising for the practical application. Synthesis, structure and suitable shape of the amidoxime adsorbents are discussed. Uranium adsorption behavior and the amount of saturated adsorption are examined theoretically based on the complexation of an amidoxime monomer and the formula for the adsorption equiliburium is derived. The adsorption and recovery process for uranium from seawater is composed of adsorption, desorption, separation and concentration and finally, uranium is recovered as the yellow cake. A floating body mooring system is proposed by Nobukawa. (T.H.)

Strontium (Sr) separation from seawater using titanate adsorbents: Effects of seawater matrix ions on Sr sorption behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Jungho; Hong, Hye-jin; Ryu, Taegong; Park, In-Su

2017-04-01

Strontium (Sr) which has many industrial applications such as ferrite magnet, ceramic, and fire works exists in seawater with the concentration of approximately 7 mg/L. In previous report estimating economic potential on recovery of various elements from seawater in terms of their commercial values and concentrations in seawater, Sr locates upper than approximate break-even line, which implies Sr recovery from seawater can be potentially profitable. Recently, Sr separation from seawater has received great attention in the environmental aspect after Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident which released much amount of radioactive Sr and Cs. Accordingly, the efficient separation of radioactive elements released to seawater has become critical as an important technological need as well as their removal from radioactive wastes. So far, it has been introduced to separate Sr from aqueous media by various methods including solvent extraction, adsorption by solid materials, and ion exchange. Among them, the adsorption technique using solid adsorbents is of great interest for selectively separating Sr from seawater with respect to low concentration level of Sr. In this study, we synthesized titanate nanotube (TiNT) by simple hydrothermal reaction, characterized its physicochemical properties, and systematically evaluated Sr sorption behavior under various reaction conditions corresponding to seawater environment. The synthesized TiNT exhibited the fibril-type nanotube structure with high specific surface area of 260 m2/g. The adsorption of Sr on TiNT rapidly occurred following pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and was in good agreement with Langmuir isotherm model, indicating maximum adsorption capacity of 97 mg/g. Based on Sr uptake and Na release with stoichiometric balance, sorption mechanism of Sr on TiNT was found to be ion-exchange between Na in TiNT lattice and Sr in solution phase, which was also confirmed by XRD and Raman analysis. Among competitive ions, Ca

Indian Country Leaking Underground Storage Tanks, Region 9, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

This GIS dataset contains point features that represent Leaking Underground Storage Tanks in US EPA Region 9 Indian Country. This dataset contains facility name and locational information, status of LUST case, operating status of facility, inspection dates, and links to No Further Action letters for closed LUST cases. This database contains 1230 features, with 289 features having a LUST status of open, closed with no residual contamination, or closed with residual contamination.

On the classification of seawater intrusion

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Adrian D.

2017-08-01

Seawater intrusion (SWI) arising from aquifer depletion is often classified as ;active; or ;passive;, depending on whether seawater moves in the same direction as groundwater flow or not. However, recent studies have demonstrated that alternative forms of active SWI show distinctly different characteristics, to the degree that the term ;active SWI; may be misleading without additional qualification. In response, this article proposes to modify hydrogeology lexicon by defining and characterizing three classes of SWI, namely passive SWI, passive-active SWI and active SWI. The threshold parameter combinations for the onset of each form of SWI are developed using sharp-interface, steady-state analytical solutions. Numerical simulation is then applied to a hypothetical case study to test the developed theory and to provide additional insights into dispersive SWI behavior. The results indicate that the three classes of SWI are readily predictable, with the exception of active SWI occurring in the presence of distributed recharge. The key characteristics of each SWI class are described to distinguish their most defining features. For example, active SWI occurring in aquifers receiving distributed recharge only creates watertable salinization downstream of the groundwater mound and only where dispersion effects are significant. The revised classification of SWI proposed in this article, along with the analysis of thresholds and SWI characteristics, provides coastal aquifer custodians with an improved basis upon which to expect salinization mechanisms to impact freshwater availability following aquifer depletion.

Rapid determination of actinides in seawater samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxwell, S.L.; Culligan, B.K.; Hutchison, J.B.; Utsey, R.C.; McAlister, D.R.

2014-01-01

A new rapid method for the determination of actinides in seawater samples has been developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory. The actinides can be measured by alpha spectrometry or inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The new method employs novel pre-concentration steps to collect the actinide isotopes quickly from 80 L or more of seawater. Actinides are co-precipitated using an iron hydroxide co-precipitation step enhanced with Ti +3 reductant, followed by lanthanum fluoride co-precipitation. Stacked TEVA Resin and TRU Resin cartridges are used to rapidly separate Pu, U, and Np isotopes from seawater samples. TEVA Resin and DGA Resin were used to separate and measure Pu, Am and Cm isotopes in seawater volumes up to 80 L. This robust method is ideal for emergency seawater samples following a radiological incident. It can also be used, however, for the routine analysis of seawater samples for oceanographic studies to enhance efficiency and productivity. In contrast, many current methods to determine actinides in seawater can take 1-2 weeks and provide chemical yields of ∼30-60 %. This new sample preparation method can be performed in 4-8 h with tracer yields of ∼85-95 %. By employing a rapid, robust sample preparation method with high chemical yields, less seawater is needed to achieve lower or comparable detection limits for actinide isotopes with less time and effort. (author)

Colloidal nature of radionuclides in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldman, I.

1976-01-01

There is considerable doubt that equilibrium calculations, i.e., employing solubility products and complex-ion stability constants, are valid for the submicro concentrations of radionuclides in seawater. The existence of radiocolloids should be expected in seawater. The great tendency of radiocolloids to adsorb onto finely-divided hydrous oxides makes their formation of significance in seawater, especially for artificial radionuclides. The subject of radiocolloid formation is reviewed in this chapter. It is shown that the 226 Ra/ 230 Th/U relationship found in seawater can be explained from the fact that the tendencies of these elements to form radiocolloids in seawater should decrease in order thorium > radium much greater than uranium. This explanation is much simpler than the prevailing oceanographic one. The theories for radiocolloid formation are discussed. The recent theory of Jones and Healy for the adsorption of hydrolyzable metal ions onto hydrous oxides is reviewed briefly, and its relevance to radiocolloid formation is pointed out

Environment Of Underground Water And Pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jeong Sang

1998-02-15

This book deals with environment of underground water and pollution, which introduces the role of underground water in hydrology, definition of related study of under water, the history of hydro-geology, basic conception of underground water such as origin of water, and hydrogeologic characteristic of aquifers, movement of underground water, hydrography of underground water and aquifer test analysis, change of an underground water level, and water balance analysis and development of underground water.

Effect of different seawater Mg

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mewes, A.; Langer, G.; de Nooijer, L.J.; Bijma, J.; Reichart, G.J.

2014-01-01

Magnesium, incorporated in foraminiferal calcite (Mg/CaCC), is used intensively to reconstruct past seawater temperatures but, in addition to temperature, the Mg/CaCC of foraminiferal tests also depends on the ratio of Mg and Ca in seawater (Mg/CaSW). The physiological mechanisms responsible for

Comprehensive evaluation of environmental and economic benefits of China's urban underground transportation construction projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaobin; Chen, Zhilong; Guo, Dongjun

2015-07-01

Urban underground transportation projects are introduced to address problems of scarce green land and traffic pollution. As construction of urban underground transportation is still in its infancy, there is no definite quantitative measurement on whether the construction is beneficial and what influences it will place on the region in China. This study intends to construct a comprehensive evaluation method for evaluating social, economic and environmental benefits of urban underground transportation projects and proposes the concept, role and principle for evaluation of environmental and economic benefits. It figures out relationship between the environment and factors of city development. It also summarizes three relevant factors, including transportation, biophysics and social economy, and works out indicators to evaluate the influence of urban underground transportation construction. Based on Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), Cost of Illness Approach (CIA), Human Capital Approach (HCA), this paper constructs 13 monetization calculation models for social, economic and environmental benefits in response to seven aspects, namely, reducing noise pollution and air pollution, using land efficiently, improving traffic safety, reducing traffic congestion, saving shipping time and minimizing transportation costs.

Estimates of ikaite export from sea ice to the underlying seawater in a sea ice-seawater mesocosm

Science.gov (United States)

Geilfus, Nicolas-Xavier; Galley, Ryan J.; Else, Brent G. T.; Campbell, Karley; Papakyriakou, Tim; Crabeck, Odile; Lemes, Marcos; Delille, Bruno; Rysgaard, Søren

2016-09-01

The precipitation of ikaite and its fate within sea ice is still poorly understood. We quantify temporal inorganic carbon dynamics in sea ice from initial formation to its melt in a sea ice-seawater mesocosm pool from 11 to 29 January 2013. Based on measurements of total alkalinity (TA) and total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2), the main processes affecting inorganic carbon dynamics within sea ice were ikaite precipitation and CO2 exchange with the atmosphere. In the underlying seawater, the dissolution of ikaite was the main process affecting inorganic carbon dynamics. Sea ice acted as an active layer, releasing CO2 to the atmosphere during the growth phase, taking up CO2 as it melted and exporting both ikaite and TCO2 into the underlying seawater during the whole experiment. Ikaite precipitation of up to 167 µmol kg-1 within sea ice was estimated, while its export and dissolution into the underlying seawater was responsible for a TA increase of 64-66 µmol kg-1 in the water column. The export of TCO2 from sea ice to the water column increased the underlying seawater TCO2 by 43.5 µmol kg-1, suggesting that almost all of the TCO2 that left the sea ice was exported to the underlying seawater. The export of ikaite from the ice to the underlying seawater was associated with brine rejection during sea ice growth, increased vertical connectivity in sea ice due to the upward percolation of seawater and meltwater flushing during sea ice melt. Based on the change in TA in the water column around the onset of sea ice melt, more than half of the total ikaite precipitated in the ice during sea ice growth was still contained in the ice when the sea ice began to melt. Ikaite crystal dissolution in the water column kept the seawater pCO2 undersaturated with respect to the atmosphere in spite of increased salinity, TA and TCO2 associated with sea ice growth. Results indicate that ikaite export from sea ice and its dissolution in the underlying seawater can potentially hamper

Physico-chemical behavior of radionuclides in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Yuichiro; Ogawa, Yoshihiro; Honda, Yoshihide; Katsurayama, Kosuke.

1980-01-01

To elucidate the physico-chemical states of radionuclides in seawater in relation to uptake by the marine biosphere, the physicochemical behavior of radiocobalt, radioruthenium and radiocerium in seawater was investigated by electrodialysis, high-voltage paper electrophoresis, and also by paper chromatography for nitrosylruthenium complexes. Most of the radiocobalt in seawater behaved as dialytic cations. However, these cationic species were not necessarily simple divalent, because their electrophoretic bands were rather diffuse and showed two peaks temporarily. The electroneutral form also increased with aging in seawater. The radioruthenium in seawater showed relatively a number of well-defined species which could be readily classified into anionic, cationic, electroneutral, colloidal or particulate, non-dialytic and more or less adsorbable species. The radioruthenium in the chloro and nitratonitrosylruthenium complexes occurred mainly electroneutral and anionic species, while nitro and binuclear oxygen-bridged nitratonitrosylruthenium complexes showed dominant anionic species. The hydrolysis of higher nitro and nitratonitrosylruthenium complexes to lower ones was demonstrated with aging in seawater by paper chromatography. The radiocerium in seawater showed initially cationic species. However, the electroneutral and anionic species were revealed with aging by electrodialysis. The radiocerium were strongly adsorbed on filter paper at the starting band in paper electrophoresis, presumably because of the formation of strongly adsorbable or insoluble hydrolytic species or particle formation. (author)

Progress in recovery technology for uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugo, Takanobu; Saito, Kyoichi.

1994-01-01

By the facts that the research group in Japan improved the performance of amidoxime resin which is the adsorbent for collecting seawater uranium, proposed the method of mooring floating bodies utilizing sea current and waves as the adsorption system, and further, verified the results of laboratory basic experiment by marine experiment, the technology of collecting seawater uranium has progressed. After the oil crisis, various countries started the research on seawater uranium, but only Japan has continued the systematic study up to now. In this report, the research on seawater uranium collection carried out so far is summarized, and the characteristics of the adsorbent which was synthesized by radiation graft polymerization and the results of the uranium collection test using coastal seawater are reported. In seawater of 1 m 3 , the uranium of 3.3 mg is dissolved in the form of uranyl tricarbonate complex ions. In the total quantity of seawater, the dissolved uranium amounts to about 4.6 billion tons, about 1000 times of the uranium resources on land. The research on seawater uranium collection and the performance of uranium adsorption of synthesized amidoxime fibers are reported. (K.I.)

Design study of the underground facilities, the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizuka, Mineo; Noda, Masaru; Shiogama, Yukihiro; Adachi, Tetsuya

1999-02-01

Geoscientific research on the deep geological environment has been performed by Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC). This research is supported by the 'Long-Term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy'. The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) is planned to be constructed at the Shobasama-bora site belonging to JNC. A wide range of geoscientific research and development activities which have been previously performed in and around the Tono mine is planned to be expanded in the laboratory. The MIU consisted of surface and underground facilities excavated to a depth of about 1,000 meters. In this design study, the overall layout and basic design of the underground facility and the composition of the overall research program, includes the construction of the underground facility are studied. Based on the concept of the underground facility which have been developed in 1998, the research activities which will be performed in the MIU are selected and the overall research program is revised in this year. The basic construction method and the construction equipment are also estimated. (author)

Design study of underground facility of the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizuka, Mineo; Noda, Masaru; Shiogama, Yukihiro; Adachi, Tetsuya

1999-02-01

Geoscientific research on deep geological environment has been performed by Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC). This research is supported by the 'Long-Term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy'. The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) is planned to be constructed at Shobasama-bora site belonging to JNC. A wide range of geoscientific research and development activities which have been previously performed in and around the Tono mine is planned to be expanded in the laboratory. The MIU is consisted of surface and underground facilities down to the depth of about 1,000 meters. In this design study, the overall layout and basic design of the underground facility and the composition of the overall research program which includes the construction of the underground facility are studied. Based on the concept of the underground facility which have been developed last year, the research activities which will be performed in the MIU are selected and the overall research program is revised in this year. The basic construction method and the construction equipment are also estimated. (author)

Underground laboratories in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Shin Ted; Yue, Qian

2015-01-01

Deep underground laboratories in Asia have been making huge progress recently because underground sites provide unique opportunities to explore the rare-event phenomena for the study of dark matter searches, neutrino physics and nuclear astrophysics as well as the multi-disciplinary researches based on the low radioactive environments. The status and perspectives of Kamioda underground observatories in Japan, the existing Y2L and the planned CUP in Korea, India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in India and China JinPing Underground Laboratory (CJPL) in China will be surveyed

Underground laboratories in Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Shin Ted, E-mail: linst@mails.phys.sinica.edu.tw [College of Physical Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 China (China); Yue, Qian, E-mail: yueq@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Particle and Radiation Imaging (Ministry of Education) and Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 China (China)

2015-08-17

Deep underground laboratories in Asia have been making huge progress recently because underground sites provide unique opportunities to explore the rare-event phenomena for the study of dark matter searches, neutrino physics and nuclear astrophysics as well as the multi-disciplinary researches based on the low radioactive environments. The status and perspectives of Kamioda underground observatories in Japan, the existing Y2L and the planned CUP in Korea, India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in India and China JinPing Underground Laboratory (CJPL) in China will be surveyed.

Paleogene Seawater Osmium Isotope Records

Science.gov (United States)

Rolewicz, Z.; Thomas, D. J.; Marcantonio, F.

2012-12-01

Paleoceanographic reconstructions of the Late Cretaceous and early Cenozoic require enhanced geographic coverage, particularly in the Pacific, in order to better constrain meridional variations in environmental conditions. The challenge with the existing inventory of Pacific deep-sea cores is that they consist almost exclusively of pelagic clay with little existing age control. Pelagic clay sequences are useful for reconstructions of dust accumulation and water mass composition, but accurate correlation of these records to other sites requires improved age control. Recent work indicates that seawater Os isotope analyses provide useful age control for red clay sequences. The residence time of Os in seawater is relatively long compared to oceanic mixing, therefore the global seawater 187Os/188Os composition is practically homogeneous. A growing body of Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic data has constrained the evolution of the seawater Os isotopic composition and this curve is now a viable stratigraphic tool, employed in dating layers of Fe-Mn crusts (e.g., Klemm et al., 2005). Ravizza (2007) also demonstrated that the seawater Os isotopic composition can be extracted reliably from pelagic red clay sediments by analyzing the leached oxide minerals. The drawback to using seawater Os isotope stratigraphy to date Paleogene age sediments is that the compilation of existing data has some significant temporal gaps, notably between ~38 and 55 Ma. To improve the temporal resolution of the seawater Os isotope curve, we present new data from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 865 in the equatorial Pacific. Site 865 has excellent biostratigraphic age control over the interval ~38-55Ma. Preliminary data indicate an increase in the seawater composition from 0.427 at 53.4 Ma to 0.499 by 43 Ma, consistent with the apparent trend in the few existing data points. We also analyzed the Os isotopic composition recorded by oxide minerals at Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1370

Effect of organic on chemical oxidation for biofouling control in pilot-scale seawater cooling towers

KAUST Repository

Al-Bloushi, Mohammed

2017-09-14

Due to the scarcity of potable water in many regions of the world, the demand for seawater as an alternative evaporative cooling medium in cooling towers (CTs) has increased significantly in recent years. Seawater make-up in CTs is deemed the most feasible because of its unlimited supply in the coastal areas of Gulf and Red Sea. However, the seawater CTs have higher challenges greatly mitigating their performances because it is an open system where biofouling and bio-corrosion occurring within the fillers and piping of recirculation systems. Their pilot-scale CTs were constructed to assess the performance of three types of oxidizing biocides or oxidants, namely chlorine, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and ozone, for biofouling control. The test results showed that the addition of organic (5mg/L of methanol (MeOH)) increased the bacterial growth in CT basin. All oxidants were effective in keeping the microbial growth to the minimum. Oxidation increased the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) level from 270 to 600mV. Total residual oxidant (TRO) was increased with oxidation but it was slightly increased with organic addition. Other parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity levels were not changed. However, higher formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) was detected with chlorination and ozonation. This indicates the organic level should be limited in the oxidation for biofouling control in seawater CTs.

Effect of organic on chemical oxidation for biofouling control in pilot-scale seawater cooling towers

KAUST Repository

Al-Bloushi, Mohammed; Saththasivam, Jayaprakash; Jeong, Sanghyun; Amy, Gary L.; Leiknes, TorOve

2017-01-01

Due to the scarcity of potable water in many regions of the world, the demand for seawater as an alternative evaporative cooling medium in cooling towers (CTs) has increased significantly in recent years. Seawater make-up in CTs is deemed the most feasible because of its unlimited supply in the coastal areas of Gulf and Red Sea. However, the seawater CTs have higher challenges greatly mitigating their performances because it is an open system where biofouling and bio-corrosion occurring within the fillers and piping of recirculation systems. Their pilot-scale CTs were constructed to assess the performance of three types of oxidizing biocides or oxidants, namely chlorine, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and ozone, for biofouling control. The test results showed that the addition of organic (5mg/L of methanol (MeOH)) increased the bacterial growth in CT basin. All oxidants were effective in keeping the microbial growth to the minimum. Oxidation increased the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) level from 270 to 600mV. Total residual oxidant (TRO) was increased with oxidation but it was slightly increased with organic addition. Other parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity levels were not changed. However, higher formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) was detected with chlorination and ozonation. This indicates the organic level should be limited in the oxidation for biofouling control in seawater CTs.

Orpheus in the Underground

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Puskás Dániel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In my study I deal with descents to the underworld and hell in literature in the 20th century and in contemporary literature. I will focus on modem literary reinterpretations of the myth of Orpheus, starting with Rilke’s Orpheus. Eurydice. Hermes. In Seamus Heaney’s The Underground. in the Hungarian Istvan Baka’s Descending to the Underground of Moscow and in Czesław Miłosz’s Orpheus and Eurydice underworld appears as underground, similarly to the contemporary Hungarian János Térey’s play entitled Jeramiah. where underground will also be a metaphorical underworld which is populated with the ghosts of the famous deceased people of Debrecen, and finally, in Péter Kárpáti’s Everywoman the grave of the final scene of the medieval Everyman will be replaced with a contemporary underground station. I analyse how an underground station could be parallel with the underworld and I deal with the role of musicality and sounds in the literary works based on the myth of Orpheus.

Underground Layout Configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A. Linden

2003-01-01

The purpose of this analysis was to develop an underground layout to support the license application (LA) design effort. In addition, the analysis will be used as the technical basis for the underground layout general arrangement drawings

Numerical Study of Groundwater Flow and Salinity Distribution Cycling Controlled by Seawater/Freshwater Interaction in Karst Aquifer Using SEAWAT

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Z.; Hu, B.

2017-12-01

The interest to predict seawater intrusion and salinity distribution in Woodville Karst Plain (WKP) has increased due to the huge challenge on quality of drinkable water and serious environmental problems. Seawater intrudes into the conduit system from submarine karst caves at Spring Creek Spring due to density difference and sea level rising, nowadays the low salinity has been detected at Wakulla Spring which is 18 km from coastal line. The groundwater discharge at two major springs and salinity distribution in this area is controlled by the seawater/freshwater interaction under different rainfall conditions: during low rainfall periods, seawater flow into the submarine spring through karst windows, then the salinity rising at the submarine spring leads to seawater further intrudes into conduit system; during high rainfall periods, seawater is pushed out by fresh water discharge at submarine spring. The previous numerical studies of WKP mainly focused on the density independent transport modeling and seawater/freshwater discharge at major karst springs, in this study, a SEAWAT model has been developed to fully investigate the salinity distribution in the WKP under repeating phases of low rainfall and high rainfall periods, the conduit system was simulated as porous media with high conductivity and porosity. The precipitation, salinity and discharge at springs were used to calibrate the model. The results showed that the salinity distribution in porous media and conduit system is controlled by the rainfall change, in general, the salinity distribution inland under low rainfall conditions is much higher and wider than the high rainfall conditions. The results propose a prediction on the environmental problem caused by seawater intrusion in karst coastal aquifer, in addition, provide a visual and scientific basis for future groundwater remediation.

40 CFR 280.220 - Ownership of an underground storage tank or underground storage tank system or facility or...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... tank or underground storage tank system or facility or property on which an underground storage tank or underground storage tank system is located. 280.220 Section 280.220 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... underground storage tank or underground storage tank system or facility or property on which an underground...

Seasonal variation of the underground cosmic muon flux observed at Daya Bay

Science.gov (United States)

An, F. P.; Balantekin, A. B.; Band, H. R.; Bishai, M.; Blyth, S.; Cao, D.; Cao, G. F.; Cao, J.; Chan, Y. L.; Chang, J. F.; Chang, Y.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, Q. Y.; Chen, S. M.; Chen, Y. X.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, J.; Cheng, Z. K.; Cherwinka, J. J.; Chu, M. C.; Chukanov, A.; Cummings, J. P.; Ding, Y. Y.; Diwan, M. V.; Dolgareva, M.; Dove, J.; Dwyer, D. A.; Edwards, W. R.; Gill, R.; Gonchar, M.; Gong, G. H.; Gong, H.; Grassi, M.; Gu, W. Q.; Guo, L.; Guo, X. H.; Guo, Y. H.; Guo, Z.; Hackenburg, R. W.; Hans, S.; He, M.; Heeger, K. M.; Heng, Y. K.; Higuera, A.; Hsiung, Y. B.; Hu, B. Z.; Hu, T.; Huang, E. C.; Huang, H. X.; Huang, X. T.; Huber, P.; Huo, W.; Hussain, G.; Jaffe, D. E.; Jen, K. L.; Jetter, S.; Ji, X. P.; Ji, X. L.; Jiao, J. B.; Johnson, R. A.; Jones, D.; Kang, L.; Kettell, S. H.; Khan, A.; Kohn, S.; Kramer, M.; Kwan, K. K.; Kwok, M. W.; Kwok, T.; Langford, T. J.; Lau, K.; Lebanowski, L.; Lee, J.; Lee, J. H. C.; Lei, R. T.; Leitner, R.; Li, C.; Li, D. J.; Li, F.; Li, G. S.; Li, Q. J.; Li, S.; Li, S. C.; Li, W. D.; Li, X. N.; Li, X. Q.; Li, Y. F.; Li, Z. B.; Liang, H.; Lin, C. J.; Lin, G. L.; Lin, S.; Lin, S. K.; Lin, Y.-C.; Ling, J. J.; Link, J. M.; Littenberg, L.; Littlejohn, B. R.; Liu, J. L.; Liu, J. C.; Loh, C. W.; Lu, C.; Lu, H. Q.; Lu, J. S.; Luk, K. B.; Ma, X. Y.; Ma, X. B.; Ma, Y. Q.; Malyshkin, Y.; Martinez Caicedo, D. A.; McDonald, K. T.; McKeown, R. D.; Mitchell, I.; Nakajima, Y.; Napolitano, J.; Naumov, D.; Naumova, E.; Ngai, H. Y.; Ochoa-Ricoux, J. P.; Olshevskiy, A.; Pan, H.-R.; Park, J.; Patton, S.; Pec, V.; Peng, J. C.; Pinsky, L.; Pun, C. S. J.; Qi, F. Z.; Qi, M.; Qian, X.; Qiu, R. M.; Raper, N.; Ren, J.; Rosero, R.; Roskovec, B.; Ruan, X. C.; Sebastiani, C.; Steiner, H.; Sun, J. L.; Tang, W.; Taychenachev, D.; Treskov, K.; Tsang, K. V.; Tull, C. E.; Viaux, N.; Viren, B.; Vorobel, V.; Wang, C. H.; Wang, M.; Wang, N. Y.; Wang, R. G.; Wang, W.; Wang, X.; Wang, Y. F.; Wang, Z.; Wang, Z.; Wang, Z. M.; Wei, H. Y.; Wen, L. J.; Whisnant, K.; White, C. G.; Whitehead, L.; Wise, T.; Wong, H. L. H.; Wong, S. C. F.; Worcester, E.; Wu, C.-H.; Wu, Q.; Wu, W. J.; Xia, D. M.; Xia, J. K.; Xing, Z. Z.; Xu, J. L.; Xu, Y.; Xue, T.; Yang, C. G.; Yang, H.; Yang, L.; Yang, M. S.; Yang, M. T.; Yang, Y. Z.; Ye, M.; Ye, Z.; Yeh, M.; Young, B. L.; Yu, Z. Y.; Zeng, S.; Zhan, L.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, C. C.; Zhang, H. H.; Zhang, J. W.; Zhang, Q. M.; Zhang, X. T.; Zhang, Y. M.; Zhang, Y. X.; Zhang, Y. M.; Zhang, Z. J.; Zhang, Z. Y.; Zhang, Z. P.; Zhao, J.; Zhou, L.; Zhuang, H. L.; Zou, J. H.

2018-01-01

The Daya Bay Experiment consists of eight identically designed detectors located in three underground experimental halls named as EH1, EH2, EH3, with 250, 265 and 860 meters of water equivalent vertical overburden, respectively. Cosmic muon events have been recorded over a two-year period. The underground muon rate is observed to be positively correlated with the effective atmospheric temperature and to follow a seasonal modulation pattern. The correlation coefficient α, describing how a variation in the muon rate relates to a variation in the effective atmospheric temperature, is found to be αEH1 = 0.362±0.031, αEH2 = 0.433±0.038 and αEH3 = 0.641±0.057 for each experimental hall.

Underground laboratories in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coccia, E

2006-01-01

The only clear evidence today for physics beyond the standard model comes from underground experiments and the future activity of underground laboratories appears challenging and rich. I review here the existing underground research facilities in Europe. I present briefly the main characteristics, scientific activity and perspectives of these Laboratories and discuss the present coordination actions in the framework of the European Union

METHODS TO QUANTIFY THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oana Simona HUDEA

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The underground economy issue has raised in time miscellaneous discussions, it representing a large interest problem that affects the nations all over the world, without exception and, thereby, the well—being of stand—alone individuals. Although also treated in some previous works of the author, this topic in herein approached from a different perspective, namely the one related to distinct methods to be used in order to capture, by quantification, this undesirable economic form. Such methods, empirically tested or just imposed, based on arguments, by the researchers having launched the same, are rendered while considering their pluses and minuses in revealing, with a reasonable accuracy, the level of the above—mentioned informal economy.

Mercury isotope signatures of seawater discharged from a coal-fired power plant equipped with a seawater flue gas desulfurization system.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Haiying; Peng, Jingji; Yuan, Dongxing; Lu, Bingyan; Lin, Kunning; Huang, Shuyuan

2016-07-01

Seawater flue gas desulfurization (SFGD) systems are commonly used to remove acidic SO2 from the flue gas with alkaline seawater in many coastal coal-fired power plants in China. However, large amount of mercury (Hg) originated from coal is also transferred into seawater during the desulfurization (De-SO2) process. This research investigated Hg isotopes in seawater discharged from a coastal plant equipped with a SFGD system for the first time. Suspended particles of inorganic minerals, carbon residuals and sulfides are enriched in heavy Hg isotopes during the De-SO2 process. δ(202)Hg of particulate mercury (PHg) gradually decreased from -0.30‰ to -1.53‰ in study sea area as the distance from the point of discharge increased. The results revealed that physical mixing of contaminated De-SO2 seawater and uncontaminated fresh seawater caused a change in isotopic composition of PHg isotopes in the discharging area; and suggested that both De-SO2 seawater and local background contributed to PHg. The impacted sea area predicted with isotopic tracing technique was much larger than that resulted from a simple comparison of pollutant concentration. It was the first attempt to apply mercury isotopic composition signatures with two-component mixing model to trace the mercury pollution and its influence in seawater. The results could be beneficial to the coal-fired plants with SFGD systems to assess and control Hg pollution in sea area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid determination of 90Sr in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlotskaya, F.I.; Moskin, A.I.

1994-01-01

A method for determining 90 Sr in seawater that is based on direct isolation and radiochemical purification of daughter 90 Y is proposed. The analysis time is 6-8 h. The chemical yield of the Y-carrier during the 90 Sr determination from 35 liters of seawater varies in the range 37-69%. The analysis uncertainty is 90 Sr from seawater and subsequent isolation of 90 Y

Underground space planning in Helsinki

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilkka Vähäaho

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This paper gives insight into the use of underground space in Helsinki, Finland. The city has an underground master plan (UMP for its whole municipal area, not only for certain parts of the city. Further, the decision-making history of the UMP is described step-by-step. Some examples of underground space use in other cities are also given. The focus of this paper is on the sustainability issues related to urban underground space use, including its contribution to an environmentally sustainable and aesthetically acceptable landscape, anticipated structural longevity and maintaining the opportunity for urban development by future generations. Underground planning enhances overall safety and economy efficiency. The need for underground space use in city areas has grown rapidly since the 21st century; at the same time, the necessity to control construction work has also increased. The UMP of Helsinki reserves designated space for public and private utilities in various underground areas of bedrock over the long term. The plan also provides the framework for managing and controlling the city's underground construction work and allows suitable locations to be allocated for underground facilities. Tampere, the third most populated city in Finland and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries, is also a good example of a city that is taking steps to utilise underground resources. Oulu, the capital city of northern Finland, has also started to ‘go underground’. An example of the possibility to combine two cities by an 80-km subsea tunnel is also discussed. A new fixed link would generate huge potential for the capital areas of Finland and Estonia to become a real Helsinki-Tallinn twin city.

Chlorine-36 in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Argento, David C.; Stone, John O.; Keith Fifield, L.; Tims, Stephen G.

2010-01-01

Natural cosmogenic 36 Cl found in seawater originates from spallation of atmospheric 40 Ar, capture of secondary cosmic-ray neutrons by dissolved 35 Cl, and river runoff which contains 36 Cl produced in situ over the surface of the continents. The long residence time of chloride in the ocean and long half-life of 36 Cl compared to the oceanic mixing time should result in a homogenous 36 Cl/Cl ratio throughout the ocean. Production by neutron capture in the course of nuclear weapons testing should be insignificant averaged over the oceans as a whole, but may have led to regions of elevated 36 Cl concentration. Previous attempts to measure the 36 Cl/Cl ratio of seawater have been hindered by interferences, contamination, or insufficient analytic sensitivity. Here we report preliminary measurements on seawater samples, which demonstrate that the 36 Cl/Cl ratio is 0.5 ± 0.3 x 10 -15 , in reasonable agreement with calculated contributions from the sources listed above.

Seawater desalination with nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Nuclear power helps reduce costs for energy-intensive processes such as seawater desalination. A new generation of innovative small and medium nuclear power plants could co-generate electricity and potable water from seawater, both safely and at competitive prices in today's market. The IAEA provides technical support to Member States facing water shortage problems, on assessing the viability of nuclear power in seawater desalination. The support, usually channelled through national Technical Cooperation (TC) projects, can take several forms, ranging from educational training and technical advice on feasibility studies to design and safety review of demonstration projects. The IAEA offers a software tool (DEEP) that can be used to evaluate the economics of the different desalination and heat source configurations, including nuclear and fossil options

A Wireless LAN and Voice Information System for Underground Coal Mine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we constructed a wireless information system, and developed a wireless voice communication subsystem based on Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN for underground coal mine, which employs Voice over IP (VoIP technology and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP to achieve wireless voice dispatching communications. The master control voice dispatching interface and call terminal software are also developed on the WLAN ground server side to manage and implement the voice dispatching communication. A testing system for voice communication was constructed in tunnels of an underground coal mine, which was used to actually test the wireless voice communication subsystem via a network analysis tool, named Clear Sight Analyzer. In tests, the actual flow charts of registration, call establishment and call removal were analyzed by capturing call signaling of SIP terminals, and the key performance indicators were evaluated in coal mine, including average subjective value of voice quality, packet loss rate, delay jitter, disorder packet transmission and end-to- end delay. Experimental results and analysis demonstrate that the wireless voice communication subsystem developed communicates well in underground coal mine environment, achieving the designed function of voice dispatching communication.

Conceptual design on uranium recovery plant from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Toshiaki; Okugawa, Katsumi; Sugihara, Yutaka; Matsumura, Tsuyoshi

1999-01-01

Uranium containing in seawater is extremely low concentration, which is about 3 mg (3 ppb) per 1 ton of seawater. Recently, a report on development of a more effective collector of uranium in seawater (a radiation graft polymerization product of amidoxime onto polyethylene fiber) was issued by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. In this paper, an outline design of a uranium recovery plant from seawater was conducted on a base of the collector. As a result of cost estimation, the collection cost of seawater uranium using this method was much higher than that of uranium mine on land and described in the Red Book for mineral uranium cost. In order to make the seawater uranium cost comparable to the on-land uranium cost, it is necessary to establish comprehensive efforts in future technical development, such as development in absorption property of uranium with the collector, resolution method using less HCl, and so forth. (G.K.)

Potential Effects of Desalinated Seawater on Arteriosclerosis in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Lian; Zhang, Li Xia; Zhang, Shao Ping; Kong, Jian; Zhi, Hong; Zhang, Ming; Lu, Kai; Zhang, Hong Wei

2017-10-01

To evaluate the potential risk of arteriosclerosis caused by desalinated seawater, Wistar rats were provided desalinated seawater over a 1-year period, and blood samples were collected at 0, 90, 180, and 360 days. Blood calcium, magnesium, and arteriosclerosis-related indicators were investigated. Female rats treated with desalinated seawater for 180 days showed lower magnesium levels than the control rats (P seawater for 360 days (P seawater, and no increase in risk of arteriosclerosis was observed. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-12-01

The report concerns the possibilities of extracting uranium from seawater using either 'tidal' and 'pumped' schemes. It was decided to undertake an initial exercise on the pumped scheme. It was to take into account not only the direct energy requirements, but also the indirect energy inputs needed to produce the capital equipment, operating materials, etc. The report begins with a discussion of the technique of energy accounting, and the merits and limitations of the two principal approaches are compared. These are: 'Process Analysis' (or 'Energy Cost of Materials') and 'Input-Output Analysis' (or 'Energy Cost of Money'). A comparison is made between the energy cost of the tidal and pumped schemes, by both methods of analysis. A 'Best Estimate' is compiled calling on both methods, and this indicates that on an energy cost basis the pumped scheme is three times as expensive as the tidal scheme. Intermediate schemes are feasible, however. There is some evidence that the energy cost of an ore refining process with an initial concentration of 0.007% would be of the same order as that of the pumped seawater scheme. The energy cost of generating electricity using seawater uranium in an SGHWR is compared with the present UK generating system as a whole. (U.K.)

Seawater movement in the Japan Sea inferred from 14C measurement in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Tanaka, Takayuki; Togawa, Orihiko; Amano, Hikaru; Aramaki, Takafumi

2008-01-01

Research Group for Environmental Science, JAEA has carried out oceanographic observations in the Japan Sea since 1997 to clarify the biogeochemical cycle in the Japan Sea. More than 3,000 seawater samples for measurement of radiocarbon were collected during the observations, and radiocarbon in the seawater samples was measured at AMS facility in JAEA Mutsu. In this paper, formation and circulation of water mass in the northern Japan Sea were discussed using analysis of radiocarbon and hydrographic data (e.g. salinity, temperature, nutrients). (author)

Estimates of ikaite export from sea ice to the underlying seawater in a sea ice–seawater mesocosm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.-X. Geilfus

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The precipitation of ikaite and its fate within sea ice is still poorly understood. We quantify temporal inorganic carbon dynamics in sea ice from initial formation to its melt in a sea ice–seawater mesocosm pool from 11 to 29 January 2013. Based on measurements of total alkalinity (TA and total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2, the main processes affecting inorganic carbon dynamics within sea ice were ikaite precipitation and CO2 exchange with the atmosphere. In the underlying seawater, the dissolution of ikaite was the main process affecting inorganic carbon dynamics. Sea ice acted as an active layer, releasing CO2 to the atmosphere during the growth phase, taking up CO2 as it melted and exporting both ikaite and TCO2 into the underlying seawater during the whole experiment. Ikaite precipitation of up to 167 µmolkg−1 within sea ice was estimated, while its export and dissolution into the underlying seawater was responsible for a TA increase of 64–66 µmolkg−1 in the water column. The export of TCO2 from sea ice to the water column increased the underlying seawater TCO2 by 43.5 µmolkg−1, suggesting that almost all of the TCO2 that left the sea ice was exported to the underlying seawater. The export of ikaite from the ice to the underlying seawater was associated with brine rejection during sea ice growth, increased vertical connectivity in sea ice due to the upward percolation of seawater and meltwater flushing during sea ice melt. Based on the change in TA in the water column around the onset of sea ice melt, more than half of the total ikaite precipitated in the ice during sea ice growth was still contained in the ice when the sea ice began to melt. Ikaite crystal dissolution in the water column kept the seawater pCO2 undersaturated with respect to the atmosphere in spite of increased salinity, TA and TCO2 associated with sea ice growth. Results indicate that ikaite export from sea ice and its dissolution in the underlying

Non‐diluted seawater enhances nasal ciliary beat frequency and wound repair speed compared to diluted seawater and normal saline

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnomet, Arnaud; Luczka, Emilie; Coraux, Christelle

2016-01-01

Background The regulation of mucociliary clearance is a key part of the defense mechanisms developed by the airway epithelium. If a high aggregate quality of evidence shows the clinical effectiveness of nasal irrigation, there is a lack of studies showing the intrinsic role of the different irrigation solutions allowing such results. This study investigated the impact of solutions with different pH and ionic compositions, eg, normal saline, non‐diluted seawater and diluted seawater, on nasal mucosa functional parameters. Methods For this randomized, controlled, blinded, in vitro study, we used airway epithelial cells obtained from 13 nasal polyps explants to measure ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and epithelial wound repair speed (WRS) in response to 3 isotonic nasal irrigation solutions: (1) normal saline 0.9%; (2) non‐diluted seawater (Physiomer®); and (3) 30% diluted seawater (Stérimar). The results were compared to control (cell culture medium). Results Non‐diluted seawater enhanced the CBF and the WRS when compared to diluted seawater and to normal saline. When compared to the control, it significantly enhanced CBF and slightly, though nonsignificantly, improved the WRS. Interestingly, normal saline markedly reduced the number of epithelial cells and ciliated cells when compared to the control condition. Conclusion Our results suggest that the physicochemical features of the nasal wash solution is important because it determines the optimal conditions to enhance CBF and epithelial WRS thus preserving the respiratory mucosa in pathological conditions. Non‐diluted seawater obtains the best results on CBF and WRS vs normal saline showing a deleterious effect on epithelial cell function. PMID:27101776

Coral calcifying fluid pH is modulated by seawater carbonate chemistry not solely seawater pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Comeau, S; Tambutté, E; Carpenter, R C; Edmunds, P J; Evensen, N R; Allemand, D; Ferrier-Pagès, C; Tambutté, S; Venn, A A

2017-01-25

Reef coral calcification depends on regulation of pH in the internal calcifying fluid (CF) in which the coral skeleton forms. However, little is known about calcifying fluid pH (pH CF ) regulation, despite its importance in determining the response of corals to ocean acidification. Here, we investigate pH CF in the coral Stylophora pistillata in seawater maintained at constant pH with manipulated carbonate chemistry to alter dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration, and therefore total alkalinity (A T ). We also investigate the intracellular pH of calcifying cells, photosynthesis, respiration and calcification rates under the same conditions. Our results show that despite constant pH in the surrounding seawater, pH CF is sensitive to shifts in carbonate chemistry associated with changes in [DIC] and [A T ], revealing that seawater pH is not the sole driver of pH CF Notably, when we synthesize our results with published data, we identify linear relationships of pH CF with the seawater [DIC]/[H + ] ratio, [A T ]/ [H + ] ratio and [[Formula: see text

Evaluation of durability of SSCs injected with seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

At the units 1 to 4 in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, seawater was injected into reactor pressure vessels and spent fuel pools in order to cool down nuclear fuel is after the disaster of the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Therefore, for fuel cladding tubes exposed to seawater and piping items to pour seawater into a nuclear reactor, it was necessary to evaluate structural integrity under the seawater environment. And then, JNES carried out the safety research of 'Evaluation of Durability of SSCs injected with Seawater' in FY2011. The contents and the results obtained from the search are as follows; (1) For the pipes and nuclear reactor containment vessels, corrosion tests under high temperature seawater at 50degC and 80degC were carried out for the carbon steel that corrosion resistance was less. The data of relationship between a dipping time upto 1,500h and a corrosion rate were obtained as parameters at chloride ion (CI - ) content and the temperature of the seawater. As the results, the corrosion rate was almost 0.1 mm/y for the carbon steel SGV480. No significant influence of CT - content and the temperature of the seawater was confirmed. (2) Corrosion tests were carried out to obtain the relations of time and corrosion under different CI - content conditions for the simulated fuel rod specimens in seawater at 90degC for durations upto 1,200h. As the results, very little corrosion was observed on Zry-2 cladding tube. Brown rust was slightly appeared on the nut made of stainless steel and the lower tie plate made of cast stainless steel. Thinning and corrosion pit were not observed. (author)

Improvement of seawater booster pump outlet check valve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xuning; Du Yansong; Huang Huimin

2010-01-01

Conventional island seawater booster pump set of QNPC 310 MWe unit are very important in the whole circulating cooling system, and the integrate function of seawater booster pump outlet check valve is the foundation of steady operation of the seawater booster pump set. The article mainly introduce that through the analyses to the reason to the problem that the seawater booster pump outlet check valve of QNPC 310 MWe unit appeared in past years by our team, and considering the influence of operation condition and circumstance, the team improve the seawater booster pump outlet check valve from swing check valve to shuttle check valve which operate more appropriately in the system. By the test of continuous practice, we make further modification to the inner structure of shuttle check valve contrapuntally, and therefore we solve the problem in seawater booster pump outlet check valve fundamentally which has troubled the security of system operation in past years, so we realize the aim of technical improvement and ensure that the system operate in safety and stability. (authors)

Global Pursuits: The Underground Railroad

Science.gov (United States)

School Arts: The Art Education Magazine for Teachers, 2004

2004-01-01

This brief article describes Charles T. Webber's oil on canvas painting, "The Underground Railroad, 1893." The subject of this painting is the Underground Railroad, which today has become an American legend. The Underground Railroad was not a systematic means of transportation, but rather a secretive process that allowed fugitive slaves…

A Global Survey and Interactive Map Suite of Deep Underground Facilities; Examples of Geotechnical and Engineering Capabilities, Achievements, Challenges: (Mines, Shafts, Tunnels, Boreholes, Sites and Underground Facilities for Nuclear Waste and Physics R&D)

Science.gov (United States)

Tynan, M. C.; Russell, G. P.; Perry, F.; Kelley, R.; Champenois, S. T.

2017-12-01

This global survey presents a synthesis of some notable geotechnical and engineering information reflected in four interactive layer maps for selected: 1) deep mines and shafts; 2) existing, considered or planned radioactive waste management deep underground studies, sites, or disposal facilities; 3) deep large diameter boreholes, and 4) physics underground laboratories and facilities from around the world. These data are intended to facilitate user access to basic information and references regarding deep underground "facilities", history, activities, and plans. In general, the interactive maps and database [http://gis.inl.gov/globalsites/] provide each facility's approximate site location, geology, and engineered features (e.g.: access, geometry, depth, diameter, year of operations, groundwater, lithology, host unit name and age, basin; operator, management organization, geographic data, nearby cultural features, other). Although the survey is not all encompassing, it is a comprehensive review of many of the significant existing and historical underground facilities discussed in the literature addressing radioactive waste management and deep mined geologic disposal safety systems. The global survey is intended to support and to inform: 1) interested parties and decision makers; 2) radioactive waste disposal and siting option evaluations, and 3) safety case development as a communication tool applicable to any mined geologic disposal facility as a demonstration of historical and current engineering and geotechnical capabilities available for use in deep underground facility siting, planning, construction, operations and monitoring.

Proteolytic enzymes in seawater: contribution of prokaryotes and protists

Science.gov (United States)

Obayashi, Y.; Suzuki, S.

2016-02-01

Proteolytic enzyme is one of the major catalysts of microbial processing of organic matter in biogeochemical cycle. Here we summarize some of our studies about proteases in seawater, including 1) distribution of protease activities in coastal and oceanic seawater, 2) responses of microbial community and protease activities in seawater to organic matter amending, and 3) possible contribution of heterotrophic protists besides prokaryotes to proteases in seawater, to clarify cleared facts and remaining questions. Activities of aminopeptidases, trypsin-type and chymotrypsin-type proteases were detected from both coastal and oceanic seawater by using MCA-substrate assay. Significant activities were detected from not only particulate (cell-associated) fraction but also dissolved fraction of seawater, especially for trypsin-type and chymotrypsin-type proteases. Hydrolytic enzymes in seawater have been commonly thought to be mainly derived from heterotrophic prokaryotes; however, it was difficult to determine actual source organisms of dissolved enzymes in natural seawater. Our experiment with addition of dissolved protein to subtropical oligotrophic Pacific water showed drastically enhancement of the protease activities especially aminopeptidases in seawater, and the prokaryotic community structure simultaneously changed to be dominant of Bacteroidetes, indicating that heterotrophic bacteria were actually one of the sources of proteases in seawater. Another microcosm experiment with free-living marine heterotrophic ciliate Paranophrys marina together with an associated bacterium showed that extracellular trypsin-type activity was mainly attributed to the ciliate. The protist seemed to work in organic matter digestion in addition to be a grazer. From the results, we propose a system of organic matter digestion by prokaryotes and protists in aquatic environments, although their actual contribution in natural environments should be estimated in future studies.

Rokibaar Underground = Rock bar Underground

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2008-01-01

Rokibaari Underground (Küütri 7, Tartu) sisekujundus, mis pälvis Eesti Sisearhitektide Liidu 2007. a. eripreemia. Sisearhitekt: Margus Mänd (Tammat OÜ). Margus Männist, tema tähtsamad tööd. Plaan, 5 värv. vaadet, foto M. Männist

The underground economy in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Veronica LITRA

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The paper aims at covering issues related to the underground economy, activities that compound this phenomenon, its magnitude in Romania and reported to the European average. Underground economy in Romania consists of undeclared work (2/3 from the total and unreported income; it decreased from 33.6% of GDP in 2003 to 28% in 2014, but remained over EU-28 average with about 10 p.p. Among EU-28 countries, only Bulgaria exceeds the size of the underground economy of Romania. The underground economy is a challenge for the leadership of the state which must act simultaneously to stop illegal activities, and to discourage non-declaration of the legal activities. Corruption favours maintaining the underground economy, delays economic development, obstructs democratic processes and affects justice and the law state.

Locating underground uranium deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felice, P.E.

1979-01-01

Underground uranium deposits are located by placing wires of dosimeters each about 5 to 18 mg/cm 2 thick underground in a grid pattern. Each dosimeter contains a phosphor which is capable of storing the energy of alpha particles. In each pair one dosimeter is shielded from alpha particles with more than 18 mg/cm 2 thick opaque material but not gamma and beta rays and the other dosimeter is shielded with less than 1 mg/cm 2 thick opaque material to exclude dust. After a period underground the dosimeters are heated which releases the stored energy as light. The amount of light produced from the heavily shielded dosimeter is subtracted from the amount of light produced from the thinly shielded dosimeter to give an indication of the location and quantity of uranium underground

Non-diluted seawater enhances nasal ciliary beat frequency and wound repair speed compared to diluted seawater and normal saline.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnomet, Arnaud; Luczka, Emilie; Coraux, Christelle; de Gabory, Ludovic

2016-10-01

The regulation of mucociliary clearance is a key part of the defense mechanisms developed by the airway epithelium. If a high aggregate quality of evidence shows the clinical effectiveness of nasal irrigation, there is a lack of studies showing the intrinsic role of the different irrigation solutions allowing such results. This study investigated the impact of solutions with different pH and ionic compositions, eg, normal saline, non-diluted seawater and diluted seawater, on nasal mucosa functional parameters. For this randomized, controlled, blinded, in vitro study, we used airway epithelial cells obtained from 13 nasal polyps explants to measure ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and epithelial wound repair speed (WRS) in response to 3 isotonic nasal irrigation solutions: (1) normal saline 0.9%; (2) non-diluted seawater (Physiomer®); and (3) 30% diluted seawater (Stérimar). The results were compared to control (cell culture medium). Non-diluted seawater enhanced the CBF and the WRS when compared to diluted seawater and to normal saline. When compared to the control, it significantly enhanced CBF and slightly, though nonsignificantly, improved the WRS. Interestingly, normal saline markedly reduced the number of epithelial cells and ciliated cells when compared to the control condition. Our results suggest that the physicochemical features of the nasal wash solution is important because it determines the optimal conditions to enhance CBF and epithelial WRS thus preserving the respiratory mucosa in pathological conditions. Non-diluted seawater obtains the best results on CBF and WRS vs normal saline showing a deleterious effect on epithelial cell function. © 2016 The Authors International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, published by ARSAAOA, LLC.

Freely dissolved concentrations of anionic surfactants in seawater solutions: optimization of the non-depletive solid-phase microextraction method and application to linear alkylbenzene sulfonates.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rico Rico, A.; Droge, S.T.J.; Widmer, D.; Hermens, J.L.M.

2009-01-01

A solid-phase microextraction method (SPME) has been optimized for the analysis of freely dissolved anionic surfactants, namely linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), in seawater. An effect of the thermal conditioning treatment on the polyacrylate fiber coating was demonstrated for both uptake

Seawater sulfate reduction and sulfur isotope fractionation in basaltic systems: interaction of seawater with fayalite and magnetite at 200-3500C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanks, W.C. III; Bischoff, J.L.; Rosenbauer, R.J.

1981-01-01

Sulfate reduction during seawater reaction with fayalite and with magnetite was rapid at 350 0 C, producing equilibrium assemblages of talc-pyrite-hematite-magnetite at low water/rock ratios and talc-pyrite-hematite-anhydrite at higher water/rock ratios. At 250 0 C, seawater reacting with fayalite produced detectable amounts of dissolved H 2 S. At 200 0 C, dissolved H 2 S was not detected, even after 219 days. Reaction stoichiometry indicates that sulfate reduction requires large amounts of H + , which, in subseafloor hydrothermal systems is provided by Mg metasomatism. Seawater contains sufficient Mg to supply all the H + necessary for quantitative reduction of seawater sulfate. Systematics of sulfur isotopes in the 250 and 350 0 C experiments indicate that isotopic equilibrium is reached and can be modeled as a Rayleigh distillation process. Isotopic composition of hydrothermally produced H 2 S in natural systems is strongly dependent upon the seawater/basalt ratio in the geothermal system, which controls the relative sulfide contributions from the two important sulfur sources, seawater sulfate and sulfide phases in basalt. Anhydrite precipitation during geothermal heating severely limits sulfate ingress into high temperature interaction zones. Quantitative sulfate reduction can thus be accomplished without producing strongly oxidized rocks and resultant sulfide sulfur isotope values represent a mixture of seawater and basaltic sulfur. (author)

A Comparison of underground opening support design methods in jointed rock mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharavi, M.; Shafiezadeh, N.

2008-01-01

It is of great importance to consider long-term stability of rock mass around the openings of underground structure. during design, construction and operation of the said structures in rock. In this context. three methods namely. empirical. analytical and numerical have been applied to design and analyze the stability of underground infrastructure at the Siah Bisheh Pumping Storage Hydro-Electric Power Project in Iran. The geological and geotechnical data utilized in this article were selected and based on the preliminary studies of this project. In the initial stages of design. it was recommended that, two methods of rock mass classification Q and rock mass rating should be utilized for the support system of the underground cavern. Next, based on the structural instability, the support system was adjusted by the analytical method. The performance of the recommended support system was reviewed by the comparison of the ground response curve and rock support interactions with surrounding rock mass, using FEST03 software. Moreover, for further assessment of the realistic rock mass behavior and support system, the numerical modeling was performed utilizing FEST03 software. Finally both the analytical and numerical methods were compared, to obtain satisfactory results complimenting each other

Concept of underground nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onishi, Sotoaki

1976-01-01

The concept of constructing nuclear power plants on the sea or underground as the future sitting is based on moving the present power plants on the ground with actual results to the sea or underground without changing the design. The underground nuclear power plants have many similar points to underground hydro-electric power stations with many achievements in the construction viewpoint, though they have their proper difficult problems. Of course, it requires to excavate larger underground caves than the case of underground hydro-electric power plants. The maximum dimensions of the caves have been determined through experience in practice. Therefore the developments of design theory and construction technique are desirable in this field. In discussing underground construction, two evaluating methods are considered for the shielding effect of base rocks. The minimum vertical distance up to ground surface from the center of the cave differs depending upon the in-cave pressure, and the conditions of base rock, soil and underground water in case of the accident assumed in the design, and is approximately 60m, if the cave is assumed to be an indefinite cylindrical shape, by the safer side calculation in the above two evaluations. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Seawater bicarbonate removal during hydrothermal circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Proskurowski, G. K.; Seewald, J.; Sylva, S. P.; Reeves, E.; Lilley, M. D.

2013-12-01

High temperature fluids sampled at hydrothermal vents represent a complex alteration product of water-rock reactions on a multi-component mixture of source fluids. Sources to high-temperature hydrothermal samples include the 'original' seawater present in the recharge limb of circulation, magmatically influenced fluids added at depth as well as any seawater entrained during sampling. High-temperature hydrothermal fluids are typically enriched in magmatic volatiles, with CO2 the dominant species, characterized by concentrations of 10's-100's of mmol/kg (1, 2). Typically, the high concentration of CO2 relative to background seawater bicarbonate concentrations (~2.3 mmol/kg) obscures a full analysis of the fate of seawater bicarbonate during high-temperature hydrothermal circulation. Here we present data from a suite of samples collected over the past 15 years from high-temperature hydrothermal vents at 9N, Endeavour, Lau Basin, and the MAR that have endmember CO2 concentrations less than 10 mmol/kg. Using stable and radiocarbon isotope measurements these samples provide a unique opportunity to examine the balance between 'original' seawater bicarbonate and CO2 added from magmatic sources. Multiple lines of evidence from multiple hydrothermal settings consistently points to the removal of ~80% of the 'original' 2.3 mmol/kg seawater bicarbonate. Assuming that this removal occurs in the low-temperature, 'recharge' limb of hydrothermal circulation, this removal process is widely occurring and has important contributions to the global carbon cycle over geologic time. 1. Lilley MD, Butterfield DA, Lupton JE, & Olson EJ (2003) Magmatic events can produce rapid changes in hydrothermal vent chemistry. Nature 422(6934):878-881. 2. Seewald J, Cruse A, & Saccocia P (2003) Aqueous volatiles in hydrothermal fluids from the Main Endeavour Field, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge: temporal variability following earthquake activity. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 216(4):575-590.

Status of technology of uranium recovery from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugo, Takanobu; Saito, Kyoichi.

1990-01-01

By bringing the solid material called adsorbent in contact with seawater, uranium can be collected, therefore, the adsorbent to which uranium was adsorbed in seawater can be regarded as the resource of uranium storing. To the adsorbent, also rare metals are concentrated in addition to uranium. From such viewpoint, the development of the technology for collecting seawater uranium is important for the Japanese energy policy. The uranium concentration in seawater is about 3 mg/m 3 and its form of dissolution is uranyl tricarbonate ions. The technology of collecting seawater uranium is the separation technology for extracting the component of very low concentration from the aqueous solution containing many components. The total amount of uranium in the whole oceans reaches about 4 billion t, which is about 1000 times as much as the uranium commercially mined on land. It is the target of the technology to make artificial uranium ore of as high quality as possible quickly. The process of collecting seawater uranium comprises adsorption, desorption, separation and enrichment. As the adsorbents, hydrated titanium oxide and chelate resin represented by amidoxime are promising. The adsorption system is described. (K.I.)

A simple statistical signal loss model for deep underground garage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Huan Cong; Gimenez, Lucas Chavarria; Kovacs, Istvan

2016-01-01

In this paper we address the channel modeling aspects for a deep-indoor scenario with extreme coverage conditions in terms of signal losses, namely underground garage areas. We provide an in-depth analysis in terms of path loss (gain) and large scale signal shadowing, and a propose simple...... propagation model which can be used to predict cellular signal levels in similar deep-indoor scenarios. The proposed frequency-independent floor attenuation factor (FAF) is shown to be in range of 5.2 dB per meter deep....

Underground water stress release models

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yong; Dang, Shenjun; Lü, Shaochuan

2011-08-01

The accumulation of tectonic stress may cause earthquakes at some epochs. However, in most cases, it leads to crustal deformations. Underground water level is a sensitive indication of the crustal deformations. We incorporate the information of the underground water level into the stress release models (SRM), and obtain the underground water stress release model (USRM). We apply USRM to the earthquakes occurred at Tangshan region. The analysis shows that the underground water stress release model outperforms both Poisson model and stress release model. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the simulated seismicity by USRM is very close to the real seismicity.

The major-ion composition of Carboniferous seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Nora M.; García-Veigas, Javier; Lowenstein, Tim K.; Giles, Peter S.; Williams-Stroud, Sherilyn

2014-06-01

The major-ion chemistry (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, SO42-, and Cl-) of Carboniferous seawater was determined from chemical analyses of fluid inclusions in marine halites, using the cryo scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) technique. Fluid inclusions in halite from the Mississippian Windsor and Mabou Groups, Shubenacadie Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada (Asbian and Pendleian Substages, 335.5-330 Ma), and from the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation, Utah, USA, (Desmoinesian Stage 309-305 Ma) contain Na+-Mg2+-K+-Ca2+-Cl- brines, with no measurable SO42-, which shows that the Carboniferous ocean was a “CaCl2 sea”, relatively enriched in Ca2+ and low in SO42- with equivalents Ca2+ > SO42- + HCO3-. δ34S values from anhydrite in the Mississippian Shubenacadie Basin (13.2-14.0 ‰) and the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation (11.2-12.6 ‰) support seawater sources. Br in halite from the Shubenacadie Basin (53-111 ppm) and the Paradox Basin (68-147 ppm) also indicate seawater parentages. Carboniferous seawater, modeled from fluid inclusions, contained ∼22 mmol Ca2+/kg H2O (Mississippian) and ∼24 mmol Ca2+/kg H2O (Pennsylvanian). Estimated sulfate concentrations are ∼14 mmol SO42-/kg H2O (Mississippian), and ∼12 mmol SO42-/kg H2O (Pennsylvanian). Calculated Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios are 2.5 (Mississippian) and 2.3 (Pennsylvanian), with an estimated range of 2.0-3.2. The fluid inclusion record of seawater chemistry shows a long period of CaCl2 seas in the Paleozoic, from the Early Cambrian through the Carboniferous, when seawater was enriched in Ca2+ and relatively depleted in SO42-. During this ∼200 Myr interval, Ca2+ decreased and SO42- increased, but did not cross the Ca2+-SO42- chemical divide to become a MgSO4 sea (when SO42- in seawater became greater than Ca2+) until the latest Pennsylvanian or earliest Permian (∼309-295 Ma). Seawater remained a MgSO4 sea during the Permian and Triassic, for ∼100 Myr. Fluid inclusions also record

Radiolytic removal of trihalomethane in chlorinated seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajamohan, R.; Rajesh, Puspalata; Venugopalan, V.P.; Rangarajan, S.; Natesan, Usha

2015-01-01

Biofouling is one of the major operational problems in seawater cooling systems. It is controlled by application of chlorine based biocides in the range of 0.5-2.0 mg L -1 . The bromide in seawater reacts with the added chlorine and forms hypobromous acid. The brominated residual biocides react with natural organic matter present in the seawater, resulting in the formation of trihalomethanes (THM) such as bromoform (CHBr 3 ), dibromochloromethane (CHBr 2 Cl) bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl 2 ). Though THMs represent a small fraction of the added chlorine, they are relatively more persistent than residual chlorine, and hence pose a potential hazard to marine life because of their reported mutagenicity. There have been few reports on removal of THMs from chlorinated seawater. In this work, the efficacy of gamma irradiation technique for the removal of THMs from chlorine-dosed seawater was investigated. Experiments were carried out using seawater collected from Kalpakkam. Irradiation study was conducted in chlorinated (1, 3, and 5 mg L -1 of Cl 2 ) seawater by applying various dosages (0.4-5.0 kGy) of gamma radiation using a 60 Co Gamma Chamber 5000. Bromoform showed a faster rate of degradation as compared to other halocarbons like bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane. This shows the change in total THM concentration with variation in the radiation dose and initial Cl 2 dosing. When the percentage degradation of all the three trihalomethane species was compared with applied doses, it was found that the maximum reduction occurred at a dose of 2.5 kGy. The reduction was almost similar for all the three doses (1, 3, 5 ppm of Cl 2 ) used for chlorination. With a further increase in radiation dose to 5.0 kGy, a slight increase in reduction was observed

Uranium preconcentration from seawater using adsorptive membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Sadananda; Pandey, A.K.; Manchanda, V.K.; Athawale, A.A.

2009-01-01

Uranium recovery from bio-aggressive but lean feed like seawater is a challenging problem as it requires in situ preconcentration of uranium in presence of huge excess of competing ions with fast sorption kinetics. In our laboratory, widely used amidoxime membrane (AO-membrane) was evaluated for uranium sorption under seawater conditions. This study indicated that AO-membrane was inherently slow because of the complexation chemistry involved in transfer of U(VI) from (UO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 ) 4 - to AO sites in membrane. In order to search better options, several chemical compositions of membrane were scanned for their efficacy for uranium preconcentration from seawater, and concluded that EGMP-membrane offers several advantages over AO-membrane. In this paper, the comparison of EGMP-membrane with AO-membrane for uranium sorption under seawater conditions has been reviewed. (author)

Primary biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Comber, M.I.H.; Den Haan, K.H.; Djemel, N.; Eadsforth, C.V.; King, D.; Paumen, M.L.; Parkerton, T.; Dmytrasz, B.

2012-12-15

This report describes primary biodegradation experiments performed to determine the persistence of higher molecular weight petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater. Results from the biodegradation experiments show that the majority of tested petroleum hydrocarbons have half-lives in seawater less than 60 days.

Seawater-cultured Botryococcus braunii for efficient hydrocarbon extraction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenichi Furuhashi

Full Text Available As a potential source of biofuel, the green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii produces large amounts of hydrocarbons that are accumulated in the extracellular matrix. Generally, pretreatment such as drying or heating of wet algae is needed for sufficient recoveries of hydrocarbons from B. braunii using organic solvents. In this study, the Showa strain of B. braunii was cultured in media derived from the modified Chu13 medium by supplying artificial seawater, natural seawater, or NaCl. After a certain period of culture in the media with an osmotic pressure corresponding to 1/4-seawater, hydrocarbon recovery rates exceeding 90% were obtained by simply mixing intact wet algae with n-hexane without any pretreatments and the results using the present culture conditions indicate the potential for hydrocarbon milking.Seawater was used for efficient hydrocarbon extraction from Botryococcus braunii. The alga was cultured in media prepared with seawater or NaCl. Hydrocarbon recovery rate exceeding 90% was obtained without any pretreatment.

Biofouling control of industrial seawater cooling towers

KAUST Repository

Albloushi, Mohammed

2017-11-01

The use of seawater in cooling towers for industrial applications has much merit in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries due to the scarcity and availability of fresh water. Seawater make-up in cooling towers is deemed the most feasible because of its unlimited supply in coastal areas. Such latent-heat removal with seawater in cooling towers is several folds more efficient than sensible heat extraction via heat exchangers. Operational challenges such as scaling, corrosion, and biofouling are a major challenge in conventional cooling towers, where the latter is also a major issue in seawater cooling towers. Biofouling can significantly hamper the efficiency of cooling towers. The most popular methods used in cooling treatment to control biofouling are disinfection by chlorination. However, the disadvantages of chlorination are formation of harmful disinfection byproducts in the presence of high organic loading and safety concerns in the storage of chlorine gas. In this study, the research focuses on biofouling control in seawater cooling towers by investigating two different approaches. The first strategy addresses the use of alternative oxidants (i.e. ozone micro-bubbles and chlorine dioxide) in treatment of cooling towers. The second strategy investigates removing nutrients in seawater using granular activated carbon filter column and ultrafiltration to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Laboratory bench-scale tests in terms of temperature, cycle of concentration, dosage, etc. indicated that, at lower oxidant dosages (total residual oxidant (TRO) equivalent = 0.1 mg/l Cl2), chlorine dioxide had a better disinfection effect than chlorine and ozone. The performance of oxidizing biocides at pilot scale, operating at assorted conditions, showed that for the disinfectants tested, ozone could remove 95 % bioactivity of total number of bacteria and algae followed by chlorine dioxide at 85%, while conventional chlorine dosing only gave 60% reduction in bioactivities

Chemical effect on ozone deposition over seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Surface layer resistance plays an important role in determining ozone deposition velocity over seawater. Recent studies suggest that surface layer resistance over sea-water is influenced by wind-speed and chemical interaction at the air-water interface. Here, we investigate the e...

Corrosion and Protection of Metal in the Seawater Desalination

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xiangyu; Gao, Lili; Cui, Zhendong; Yin, Jianhua

2018-01-01

Seawater desalination develops rapid for it can solve water scarcity efficiently. However, corrosion problem in the seawater desalination system is more serious than that in normal water. So, it is important to pay attention to the corrosion and protection of metal in seawater desalination. The corrosion characteristics and corrosion types of metal in the seawater desalination system are introduced in this paper; In addition, corrosion protect methods and main influencing factors are stated, the latest new technologies about anti-corrosion with quantum energy assisted and magnetic inhibitor are presented.

Simultaneous Extraction of Lithium and Hydrogen from Seawater

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-22

N00014-10-M-0234 20126083 0001AD Dr. Pyoungho Choi University of Central Florida/Florida Solar Energy Center 1679 Clearlake Road Cocoa FL 32922-5703...South America (Bolivia and Chile), Australia, and China. There have been debates as to whether the lithium supplies would meet the surging demand...extract the lithium in seawater should be developed [1]. Seawater is also the ultimate source of hydrogen. The production of hydrogen from seawater is

Present status of uranium extraction from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusakabe, Katsuki; Morooka, Shigeharu

1993-01-01

For the research on the extraction of uranium from seawater, various processes have been examined, but the most promising process is adsorption. Its key point is the performance of the adsorbent. The system as compact as possible, in which a large quantity of seawater effectively contacts with the adsorbent, must be constructed economically. As the inorganic adsorbent, titanium oxide is the best, but organic amidoxime is superior to it. The present state of the development of the adsorbent, the rate of adsorption of the adsorbenbt, the seawater uranium adsorption system and the experiment in Imari Bay are reported. (K.I.)

Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory project. Investigation program for the 2008 fiscal year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, Masashi; Sanada, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Takehiro; Sugita, Yutaka

2008-09-01

As part of the research and development program on geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the Horonobe Underground Research Center, a division of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), is implementing the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project (Horonobe URL Project) with the aim at investigating sedimentary rock formations. According to the research plan described in the Midterm Plan of JAEA, geological investigations are to be carried out during the drilling of a shaft down to intermediate depth, while research and development in the areas of engineering technology and safety assessment are to be promoted by collaboration with other research organizations. The results of the R and D activities will be systematized as a 'knowledge base' that supports a wide range of arguments related to the safety of geological disposal. The Horonobe URL Project is planned to extend over a period of 20 years. The investigations will be conducted in three phases, namely 'Phase 1: Surface-based investigations', 'Phase 2: Construction phase' (investigations during construction of the underground facilities) and 'Phase 3: Operation phase' (research in the underground facilities). This report summarizes the investigation program for the 2008 fiscal year (2008/2009), the 4th year of the Phase 2 investigations. In the 2008 fiscal year, investigations in geoscientific research', including 'development of techniques for investigating the geological environment', 'development of techniques for long-term monitoring of the geological environment', 'development of engineering techniques for use in the deep underground environment' and studies on the long-term stability of the geological environment', are continuously carried out. Investigations in 'research and development on geological disposal technology', including 'improving the reliability of disposal technologies' and 'enhancement of safety assessment methodologies', are also continuously carried out

30 CFR 75.804 - Underground high-voltage cables.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground High-Voltage Distribution § 75.804 Underground high-voltage cables. (a) Underground high-voltage cables used in resistance... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Underground high-voltage cables. 75.804 Section...

Sanford Underground Research Facility - The United State's Deep Underground Research Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Vardiman, D.

2012-12-01

The 2.5 km deep Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is managed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) at the former Homestake Mine site in Lead, South Dakota. The US Department of Energy currently supports the development of the facility using a phased approach for underground deployment of experiments as they obtain an advanced design stage. The geology of the Sanford Laboratory site has been studied during the 125 years of operations at the Homestake Mine and more recently as part of the preliminary geotechnical site investigations for the NSF's Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory project. The overall geology at DUSEL is a well-defined stratigraphic sequence of schist and phyllites. The three major Proterozoic units encountered in the underground consist of interbedded schist, metasediments, and amphibolite schist which are crosscut by Tertiary rhyolite dikes. Preliminary geotechnical site investigations included drift mapping, borehole drilling, borehole televiewing, in-situ stress analysis, laboratory analysis of core, mapping and laser scanning of new excavations, modeling and analysis of all geotechnical information. The investigation was focused upon the determination if the proposed site rock mass could support the world's largest (66 meter diameter) deep underground excavation. While the DUSEL project has subsequently been significantly modified, these data are still available to provide a baseline of the ground conditions which may be judiciously extrapolated throughout the entire Proterozoic rock assemblage for future excavations. Recommendations for facility instrumentation and monitoring were included in the preliminary design of the DUSEL project design and include; single and multiple point extensometers, tape extensometers and convergence measurements (pins), load cells and pressure cells, smart cables, inclinometers/Tiltmeters, Piezometers, thermistors, seismographs and accelerometers, scanners (laser

Erythropoietin Pretreatment Attenuates Seawater Aspiration-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Mu-Huo; Tong, Jian-Hua; Tan, Yuan-Hui; Cao, Zhen-Yu; Ou, Cong-Yang; Li, Wei-Yan; Yang, Jian-Jun; Peng, Y G; Zhu, Si-Hai

2016-02-01

Seawater drowning-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious clinical condition characterized by increased alveolar-capillary permeability, excessive inflammatory responses, and refractory hypoxemia. However, current therapeutic options are largely supportive; thus, it is of great interest to search for alternative agents to treat seawater aspiration-induced ALI. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a multifunctional agent with antiinflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic properties. However, the effects of EPO on seawater aspiration-induced ALI remain unclear. In the present study, male rats were randomly assigned to the naive group, normal saline group, seawater group, or seawater + EPO group. EPO was administered intraperitoneally at 48 and 24 h before seawater aspiration. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed with a gas analyzer at baseline, 30 min, 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h after seawater aspiration, respectively. Histological scores, computed tomography scan, nuclear factor kappa B p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase, caspase-3, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, wet-to-dry weight ratio, myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase in the lung were determined 30 min after seawater aspiration. Our results showed that EPO pretreatment alleviated seawater aspiration-induced ALI, as indicated by increased arterial partial oxygen tension and decreased lung histological scores. Furthermore, EPO pretreatment attenuated seawater aspiration-induced increase in the expressions of pulmonary nuclear factor kappa B p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase, caspase-3, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-1β, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde when compared with the seawater group. Collectively, our study suggested that EPO pretreatment attenuates seawater aspiration-induced ALI by down-regulation of pulmonary pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Influence of seawater intrusion on microbial communities in groundwater.

Science.gov (United States)

Unno, Tatsuya; Kim, Jungman; Kim, Yumi; Nguyen, Son G; Guevarra, Robin B; Kim, Gee Pyo; Lee, Ji-Hoon; Sadowsky, Michael J

2015-11-01

Groundwater is the sole source of potable water on Jeju Island in the Republic of (South) Korea. Groundwater is also used for irrigation and industrial purposes, and it is severely impacted by seawater intrusion in coastal areas. Consequently, monitoring the intrusion of seawater into groundwater on Jeju is very important for health and environmental reasons. A number of studies have used hydrological models to predict the deterioration of groundwater quality caused by seawater intrusion. However, there is conflicting evidence of intrusion due to complicated environmental influences on groundwater quality. Here we investigated the use of next generation sequencing (NGS)-based microbial community analysis as a way to monitor groundwater quality and detect seawater intrusion. Pristine groundwater, groundwater from three coastal areas, and seawater were compared. Analysis of the distribution of bacterial species clearly indicated that the high and low salinity groundwater differed significantly with respect to microbial composition. While members of the family Parvularculaceae were only identified in high salinity water samples, a greater percentage of the phylum Actinobacteria was predominantly observed in pristine groundwater. In addition, we identified 48 shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with seawater, among which the high salinity groundwater sample shared a greater number of bacterial species with seawater (6.7%). In contrast, other groundwater samples shared less than 0.5%. Our results suggest that NGS-based microbial community analysis of groundwater may be a useful tool for monitoring groundwater quality and detect seawater intrusion. This technology may also provide additional insights in understanding hydrological dynamics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contribution of Seawater Surfactants to Generated Primary Marine Aerosol Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Frossard, A. A.; Gerard, V.; Duplessis, P.; Kinsey, J. D.; Lu, X.; Zhu, Y.; Bisgrove, J.; Maben, J. R.; Long, M. S.; Chang, R.; Beaupre, S. R.; Kieber, D. J.; Keene, W. C.; Noziere, B.; Cohen, R. C.

2017-12-01

Surfactants account for minor fractions of total organic carbon in the ocean but may have major impacts on the surface tension of bursting bubbles at the sea surface that drive the production of primary marine aerosol particles (PMA). Surfactants associated with marine aerosol may also significantly reduce the surface tension of water thereby increasing the potential for cloud droplet activation and growth. During September and October 2016, PMA were produced from bursting bubbles in seawater using a high capacity generator at two biologically productive and two oligotrophic stations in the western North Atlantic, as part of a cruise on the R/V Endeavor. Surfactants were extracted from paired PMA and seawater samples, and their ionic compositions, total concentrations, and critical micelle concentrations (CMC) were quantified and compared for the four hydrographic stations. Higher surfactant concentrations were determined in the aerosol produced from biologically productive seawater compared to oligotrophic seawater, and the surfactants extracted from productive seawater were stronger (had lower CMCs) than those in the oligotrophic seawater. Surfactants associated with PMA and seawater in productive regions also varied over diel cycles, whereas those in the oligotrophic regions did not. This work demonstrates a direct link between surfactants in seawater and those in PMA.

Converting an icebreaker from an oil lubricated stern tube bearing system to a seawater lubricated stern tube bearing considering environmental and operating costs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogle, Ken J.; Carter, Craig D. [Thordon Bearings Inc., Burlington, Ontario (Canada)], email: keno@thordonbearings.com, email: craigc@thordonbearings.com

2010-07-01

Icebreakers are prone to oil discharges from the stern tube, and lubricants that are biodegradable elsewhere may not be biodegradable enough in the Arctic and have a toxic effect on the food chain. The vulnerable element is the shaft seal, which must leak a small amount to operate in the first place, and ice milling causes very fast shaft movements that increase the leakage. Also, other objects such as fishing lines seriously compromise the operation of the seal. However, there is an alternative-namely the conversion of oil-lubricated bearings to Thordon COMPAC seawater-lubricated bearings. In this operation, white-metal bearings are replaced with Thordon non-metallic bearings; then, seawater is used as the lubrication and cooling medium. The seawater enters the front part of the stern, passes through the front and aft bearing before returning to the sea. This system totally eliminates the risk of polluting the Arctic ecosystem.

Radiation-induced reactions of Cl-, CO32-, and Br- in seawater, - Model calculation of gamma radiolysis of seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, Kuniki; Hanawa, Satoshi; Kasahara, Shigeki; Muroya, Yusa; Katsumura, Yosuke

2012-09-01

Gamma-radiolysis of seawater has been simulated to estimate the concentrations of radiolysis products. Although gas products such as H 2 , O 2 and H 2 O 2 in irradiated pure water quickly attain the steady state with very low concentrations, the products in seawater monotonically increase with dose. It was found that H 2 is produced almost linearly with dose, and corresponding G-value was 4.4 x 10 -8 mol J -1 . As similar result was obtained from the calculation of 8 x 10 -4 mol dm -3 NaBr solution, the origin of the linear increase in seawater was attributable to be the reactions of Br - . According to the sensitivity analysis, three reactions, 1: Br - + ·OH → BrOH· - , 2: BrOH· - → Br - + ·OH, and 3: BrOH· - → Br· + OH - , determined the concentrations of the products. The presence of Cl - and HCO 3 - in seawater hardly affected the concentrations of the radiolysis products. Oxyanions derived from Cl - and Br - were not obtained at observable concentration. (authors)

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory concept for uranium recovery from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregg, D.; Wang, F.

1980-01-01

The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory concept for uranium recovery from seawater involves the following process steps: (1) produce activated carbon via a coal gasification plant; (2) contact activated carbon sorbent with seawater using a settling process (no pumping of seawater); (3) vacuum activated carbon from sea floor; (4) gasify or burn activated carbon (further concentrating the uranium in the ash); (5) extract the uranium from the rich ash ore by conventional techniques. The process advantages are: (1) eliminates seawater pumping, the need for an illuent, and the need for a fresh water wash; (2) should result in much lower capital investment and regional process energy. Major process issues are: (1) uranium loading on activated carbon; (2) activated carbon modifications required to improve the sorbtion performance; (3) activated carbon particle size needed to meet system requirements; (4) minimization of sorbent losses when contacted with seawater

Speciation and spectrophotometric determination of uranium in seawater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. KONSTANTINOU

2004-06-01

Full Text Available A series of ion-exchange and extraction procedures for the separation of uranium from seawater samples and subsequent spectrophotometric determination of uranium in seawater by means of arsenazo(III is described. According to the measurements performed by means of traced samples at every stage of separation, the yield of the pre-analytical procedures is generally over 90% and the separation of uranium very selective. The mean uranium concentration in seawater samples collected from five different coastal areas in Cyprus was found to be 3.2 ± 0.2 & micro; g L-1. Uranium in seawater is stable in its hexavalent oxidation state and UO2 (CO334- is the predominant species under normal coastal conditions (pH ≥ 8, EH ≥ 0.35 mV, 1 atm and 0.03% CO2.

Inhibition of Sodium Benzoate on Stainless Steel in Tropical Seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seoh, S. Y.; Senin, H. B.; Nik, W. N. Wan; Amin, M. M.

2007-01-01

The inhibition of sodium benzoate for stainless steel controlling corrosion was studied in seawater at room temperature. Three sets of sample have been immersed in seawater containing sodium benzoate with the concentrations of 0.3M, 0.6M and 1.0M respectively. One set of sample has been immersed in seawater without adding any sodium benzoate. It was found that the highest corrosion rate was observed for the stainless steel with no inhibitor was added to the seawater. As the concentration of sodium benzoate being increased, the corrosion rate is decreases. Results show that by the addition of 1.0M of sodium benzoate in seawater samples, it giving ≥ 90% efficiencies

A Psychosocial Approach to Understanding Underground Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun H. Lee

2017-03-01

Full Text Available With a growing need for usable land in urban areas, subterranean development has been gaining attention. While construction of large underground complexes is not a new concept, our understanding of various socio-cultural aspects of staying underground is still at a premature stage. With projected emergence of underground built environments, future populations may spend much more of their working, transit, and recreational time in underground spaces. Therefore, it is essential to understand the challenges and advantages that such environments have to improve the future welfare of users of underground spaces. The current paper discusses various psycho-social aspects of underground spaces, the impact they can have on the culture shared among the occupants, and possible solutions to overcome some of these challenges.

Concentration of enteric virus indicator from seawater using granular activated carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Cormier, Jiemin; Gutierrez, Miguel; Goodridge, Lawrence; Janes, Marlene

2014-02-01

Fecal contamination of shellfish growing seawater with enteric viruses is often associated with human outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Male specific bacteriophage MS2 is correlated with those of enteric viruses in a wide range of water environments and has been used widely as a surrogate for pathogenic waterborne viruses. Since viruses in contaminated water are usually at low levels, the development of methods to concentrate viruses from water is crucial for detection purposes. In the present study, granular activated carbon was evaluated for concentration of MS2 from artificial seawater, and different parameters of the seawater were also compared. Recovery of MS2 from warm seawater (37°C) was found to be significantly greater than from cold seawater (4 and 20°C), and even greater than from fresh water (4, 20 and 37°C); the difference between seawater and fresh water became less profound when the temperatures of both were below 37°C. Although not of statistical significance, recovery of MS2 from low salinity seawater (10 and 20 parts per thousand, ppt) was greater than from high salinity seawater (30 and 40ppt). One gram of granular activated carbon was able to extract 6-log plaque forming units (PFU) of MS2 from 500ml seawater at 37°C. This study demonstrated that granular activated carbon can concentrate an enteric virus indicator from shellfish growing seawater effectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Underground Storage Tanks in Iowa

Data.gov (United States)

Iowa State University GIS Support and Research Facility — Underground storage tank (UST) sites which store petroleum in Iowa. Includes sites which have been reported to DNR, and have active or removed underground storage...

Underground nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Hideo.

1997-01-01

In an underground-type nuclear power plant, groups of containing cavities comprising a plurality of containing cavities connected in series laterally by way of partition walls are disposed in parallel underground. Controlled communication tunnels for communicating the containing cavities belonging to a control region to each other, and non-controlled communication tunnels for communicating containing cavities belonging to a non-controlled area to each other are disposed underground. A controlled corridor tunnel and a non-controlled corridor tunnel extended so as to surround the containing cavity groups are disposed underground, and the containing cavities belonging to the controlled area are connected to the controlled corridor tunnel respectively, and the containing cavities belonging to the non-controlled area are connected to the non-controlled corridor tunnel respectively. The excavating amount of earth and sand upon construction can be reduced by disposing the containing cavity groups comprising a plurality of containing cavities connected in series laterally. The time and the cost for the construction can be reduced, and various excellent effects can be provided. (N.H.)

Full utilization of silt density index (SDI) measurements for seawater pre-treatment

KAUST Repository

Wei, Chunhai

2012-07-01

In order to clarify the fouling mechanism during silt density index (SDI) measurements of seawater in the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination process, 11 runs were conducted under constant-pressure (207kPa) dead-end filtration mode according to the standard protocol for SDI measurement, in which two kinds of 0.45μm membranes of different material and seawater samples from the Mediterranean including raw seawater and seawater pre-treated by coagulation followed by sand filtration (CSF) and coagulation followed by microfiltration (CMF) technologies were tested. Fouling mechanisms based on the constant-pressure filtration equation were fully analyzed. For all runs, only t/(V/A)∼t showed very good linearity (correlation coefficient R 2>0.99) since the first moment of the filtration, indicating that standard blocking rather than cake filtration was the dominant fouling mechanism during the entire filtration process. The very low concentration of suspended solids rejected by MF of 0.45μm in seawater was the main reason why a cake layer was not formed. High turbidity removal during filtration indicated that organic colloids retained on and/or adsorbed in membrane pores governed the filtration process (i.e., standard blocking) due to the important contribution of organic substances to seawater turbidity in this study. Therefore the standard blocking coefficient k s, i.e., the slope of t/(V/A)∼t, could be used as a good fouling index for seawater because it showed good linearity with feed seawater turbidity. The correlation of SDI with k s and feed seawater quality indicated that SDI could be reliably used for seawater with low fouling potential (SDI 15min<5) like pre-treated seawater in this study. From both k s and SDI, the order of fouling potential was raw seawater>seawater pre-treated by CSF>seawater pre-treated by CMF, indicating the better performance of CMF than CSF. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Nucleation from seawater emissions during mesocosm experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Clémence; Culot, Anais; Pey, Jorge; Schwier, Allison; Mas, Sébastien; Charriere, Bruno; Sempéré, Richard; Marchand, Nicolas; D'Anna, Barbara; Sellegri, Karine

2015-04-01

Nucleation and new particle formation in the marine atmosphere is usually associated to the presence of macroalgea emerged at low tides in coastal areas, while these processes were very rarely detected away from coastlines. In the present study, we evidence the formation of new particles from the 1 nm size above the seawater surface in the absence of any macroalgea population. Within the SAM project (Sources of marine Aerosol in the Mediterranean),seawater mesocosms experiments were deployed in May 2013 at the STARESO in western Corsica, with the goal of investigating the relationship between marine aerosol emissions and the seawater biogeochemical properties. Three mesocosms imprisoned 3,3 m3 of seawater each and their emerged part was flushed with aerosol-filtered natural air. One of these mesocosms was left unchanged as control and the two others were enriched by addition of nitrates and phosphates respecting Redfield ratio (N:P = 16) in order to create different levels of phytoplanctonic activities. We followed both water and air characteristics of three mesocosms during a period of three weeks by using online water and atmospheric probes as well as seawater daily samples for chemical and biological analysis. Secondary new particle formation was followed on-line in the emerged parts of the mesocosms, using a SMPS for the size distribution above 6 nm and a Particle Size Magnifyer (PSM) for the number of cluster particles between 1 and 6 nm. We will present how the cluster formation rates and early growth rates relate to the gaz-phase emissions from the seawater and to its biogeochemical properties. Aknowledgemnts: The authors want to acknowledge the financial support of the ANR "Source of marine Aerosol in the Mediterranean" (SAM), and the support of MISTRAL CHARMEX and MERMEX programs.

Concentration of uranium in seawater by flotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nozaki, Toru; Yamashita, Hiroshi

1986-01-01

A method has been developed for the concentration of uranium in seawater by precipitation flotation-carbonate extraction-ion flotation. Uranium in seawater was coprecipitated with hydrated iron (III) oxide by adjusting the pH to 5.5 after addition of 1.0 x 10 -3 mol/l of iron (III) and agitating for 1 hr, and the precipitate was floated with 1.0 x 10 -5 mol/l of sodium oleate and 5.0 x 10 -5 mol/l of sodium lauryl sulfate by bubbling nitrogen through the seawater for 15 min. Uranium was extracted from the precipitate scum at the yield of 89 % with 100 ml of 1.8 % of ammonium carbonate solution by agitating for 2 hr, and floated with 1.2 x 10 -3 mol/l of cetylpyridinium chloride by bubbling nitrogen through the extract diluted 5-fold for 30 min in the recovery of about 100 %. The fairly selective recovery of uranium was obtained from 4 l of seawater at the yield of 87 % throughout the entire process. (author)

UNDERGROUND ECONOMY, GDP AND STOCK MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caus Vasile Aurel

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Economic growth is affected by the size and dynamics of underground economy. Determining this size is a subject of research for many authors. In this paper we present the relationship between underground economy dynamics and the dynamics of stock markets. The observations are based on regression used by Tanzi (1983 and the relationship between GDP and stock market presented in Tudor (2008. The conclusion of this paper is that the dynamics of underground economy is influenced by dynamic of financial markets. Thus, using specific stock market mathematical tools analysis, one can analyze the dynamic of underground economy

Capital Subsidies and the Underground Economy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Busato, Francesco; Chiarini, Bruno; Angelis, Pasquale de

In this paper we investigate the effects of different fiscal policies on the firm choice to produce underground. We consider a tax evading firm operating simultaneously both in the regular and in the underground economy. We suggest that such a kind of firm, referred to as moonlighting firm, is able...... allocation in the underground production. In fact, a strong and inverse relationship is found, and tax reduction is the best policy to reduce the convenience to produce underground. Wealso confirm the depressing effect on investment of taxation (see, for instance, Summers,1981), so that tax reduction has...

Determination of uranium in seawater by fluorescence spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Toshi; Kawakubo, Senkichi; Minegishi, Hisako.

1984-01-01

A Fluorescence spectrometry for the determination of uranium in seawater has been developed. Anion exchange separation of uranium from seawater followed by preparation of NaF-carbonate cake and by spectrometry for ultraviolet ray excited fluorescence of uranium on the fluoride host provide the trace determinaton of uranium at the subnano gram level. Anion exchange behavior, excitation-emission behavior of the uranium on the host and effects of foreign ions to the fluorescence have been presented. Appling the method to 1 ml of seawater 3 ppb of uranium has been determined. (author)

Biologically mediated dissolution of volcanic glass in seawater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Staudigel, H; Yayanos, A; Chastain, R; Davies, G.T.; Verdurmen, E.A Th; Schiffmann, P; Bourcier, R; de Baar, H.J.W.

1998-01-01

We studied the effects of biological mediation on the dissolution of basaltic glass in seawater. Experiments with typical seawater microbial populations were contrasted with a sterile control, and reactions were monitored chemically and isotopically. Biologically mediated experiments produce twice

Measurement of age of underground water, using tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatani, Kunio; Kagami, Tadaaki; Tomita, Ban-ichi; Onuma, Akiko; Shoka, Yasushi

1978-01-01

Age of four kinds of underground water in Aichi prefecture was estimated by measuring a concentration of tritium. The tritium concentration was measured by the usual method. The first water-bearing zone of the shallow part, about 50m in depth, of Nobi plain is a new underground water cultivated within 20 years, whereas second water-bearing zone is an old underground water of 20 years old or more. No relationship of water flow between the first and the second water-bearing zone was observed. A very deep underground about 100m or more in depth, of the Nobi plain is confirmed to be infinite years old fossil water by measuring of tritium. The underground water in Atsumi peninsula is mostly a new underground water within 20 years. Only one out of eight showed the existence of old underground water before 20 years or more. The underground water of the granite area at Mikawa district is confirmed to be old underground water before 20 years or more. Alkaline underground water in the granite zone is considered to be very old in view of composition of water. The origin of underground water can be learned by tritium concentration, which shows whether the water is new water in the neighborhood of earth's surface or very old cultivated water. (Iwakiri, K.)

Neodymium isotopic variations in seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Piepgras, D. J.; Wasserburg, G. J.

1980-01-01

Direct measurement of the isotopic composition of Nd in the Atlantic agree with the Nd content in ferromanganese sediments and differ from the observed amounts in the Pacific samples. These data indicate the existence of distinctive differences in the isotopic composition of Nd in the waters of major oceans; the average values determined from seawater and ferromanganese sediments are considerably lower than in sources with oceanic mantle affinities showing that the REE in the oceans is dominated by continental sources. The Nd isotopic variations in seawater are applied to relate the residence time of Nd and mixing rates between the oceans.

Monitoring underground movements

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

On 16 September 2015 at 22:54:33 (UTC), an 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile. 11,650 km away, at CERN, a new-generation instrument – the Precision Laser Inclinometer (PLI) – recorded the extreme event. The PLI is being tested by a JINR/CERN/ATLAS team to measure the movements of underground structures and detectors.   The Precision Laser Inclinometer during assembly. The instrument has proven very accurate when taking measurements of the movements of underground structures at CERN.    The Precision Laser Inclinometer is an extremely sensitive device capable of monitoring ground angular oscillations in a frequency range of 0.001-1 Hz with a precision of 10-10 rad/Hz1/2. The instrument is currently installed in one of the old ISR transfer tunnels (TT1) built in 1970. However, its final destination could be the ATLAS cavern, where it would measure and monitor the fine movements of the underground structures, which can affect the precise posi...

KAERI Underground Research Facility (KURF) for the Demonstration of HLW Disposal Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, P. S.; Cho, W. J.; Kwon, S.

2006-01-01

In order to dispose of high-level radioactive waste(HLW) safely in geological formations, it is necessary to assess the feasibility, safety, appropriateness, and stability of the disposal concept at an underground research site, which is constructed in the same geological formation as the host rock. In this paper, the current status of the conceptual design and the construction of a small scale URL, which is named as KURF, were described. To confirm the validity of the conceptual design of the underground facility, a geological survey including a seismic refraction survey, an electronic resistivity survey, a borehole drilling, and in situ and laboratory tests had been carried out. Based on the site characterization results, it was possible to effectively design the KURF. The construction of the KURF was started in May 2005 and the access tunnel was successfully completed in March 2006. Now the construction of the research modules is under way

Radon Measurements in underground metro stations in Cairo City, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafez, A.F.; Hussein, A.S.; Rasheed, N.M.

2000-01-01

Radon activity concentration were measured continuously during the year 1998-1999 at two different underground MERTO stations, namely, Mubarak and El-Sadat. The measurements were performed using the diffusion cups equipped with CR-39 and LR-115 polymeric nuclear track detectors. Using the experimentally measured calibration coefficients of the used detectors and the measured track densities (bare and filtered), the yearly mean radon concentration C=23 Bq m -3 , equilibrium factor F= 0,10 and effective dose E=0,06 mSv y -1 for the employed personal as well as E=5 mu Sv y -1 for the commuter were obtained

Factors affecting seawater-based pretreatment of lignocellulosic date palm residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fang, Chuanji; Thomsen, Mette Hedegaard; Frankaer, Christian Grundahl

2017-01-01

Seawater-based pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is an innovative process at research stage. With respect to process optimization, factors affecting seawater-based pretreatment of lignocellulosic date palm residues were studied for the first time in this paper. Pretreatment temperature (180...... °C–210 °C), salinity of seawater (0 ppt–50 ppt), and catalysts (H2SO4, Na2CO3, and NaOH) were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment temperature exerted the largest influence on seawater-based pretreatment in terms of the enzymatic digestibility and fermentability of pretreated solids...

Effects of dissolved species on radiolysis of diluted seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, Kuniki; Hanawa, Satoshi; Kasahara, Shigeki; Motooka, Takafumi; Tsukada, Takashi; Muroya, Yusa; Yamashita, Shinichi; Katsumura, Yosuke

2014-01-01

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) experienced seawater injection into the cores and fuel pools as an emergent measure after the accident. After the accident, retained water has been continuously desalinized, and subsequently the concentration of chloride ion (Cl"-) has been kept at a lower level these days. These ions in seawater are known to affect water radiolysis, which causes the production of radiolytic products, such as hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2), molecular hydrogen (H_2) and molecular oxygen (O_2). However, the effects of dissolved ions relating seawater on the production of the stable radiolytic products are not well understood in the diluted seawater. To understand of the production behavior in diluted seawater under radiation, radiolysis calculations were carried out. Production of H_2 is effectively suppressed by diluting by up to vol10%. The concentrations of oxidants (H_2O_2 and O_2) are also suppressed by dilution of dissolved species. The effect of oxidants on corrosion of materials is thought to be low when the seawater was diluted by less than 1 vol% by water. It is also shown that deaeration is one of the effective measure to suppress the concentrations of oxidants at a lower level for any dilution conditions. (author)

Sulfate was a trace constituent of Archean seawater

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crowe, Sean Andrew; Paris, Guillaume; Katsev, Sergei

2014-01-01

In the low-oxygen Archean world (>2400 million years ago), seawater sulfate concentrations were much lower than today, yet open questions frustrate the translation of modern measurements of sulfur isotope fractionations into estimates of Archean seawater sulfate concentrations. In the water column...

Ultra-trace plutonium determination in small volume seawater by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with application to Fukushima seawater samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Bu, Wenting; Zheng, Jian; Guo, Qiuju; Aono, Tatsuo; Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo; Tazoe, Hirofumi; Yamada, Masatoshi

2014-04-11

Long-term monitoring of Pu isotopes in seawater is required for assessing Pu contamination in the marine environment from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. In this study, we established an accurate and precise analytical method based on anion-exchange chromatography and SF-ICP-MS. This method was able to determine Pu isotopes in seawater samples with small volumes (20-60L). The U decontamination factor was 3×10(7)-1×10(8), which provided sufficient removal of interfering U from the seawater samples. The estimated limits of detection for (239)Pu and (240)Pu were 0.11fgmL(-1) and 0.08fgmL(-1), respectively, which corresponded to 0.01mBqm(-3) for (239)Pu and 0.03mBqm(-3) for (240)Pu when a 20L volume of seawater was measured. We achieved good precision (2.9%) and accuracy (0.8%) for measurement of the (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratio in the standard Pu solution with a (239)Pu concentration of 11fgmL(-1) and (240)Pu concentration of 2.7fgmL(-1). Seawater reference materials were used for the method validation and both the (239+240)Pu activities and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios agreed well with the expected values. Surface and bottom seawater samples collected off Fukushima in the western North Pacific since March 2011 were analyzed. Our results suggested that there was no significant variation of the Pu distribution in seawater in the investigated areas compared to the distribution before the accident. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of KNIFC-PAN Resin in Absorbing Radiocesium in Seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurrul Assyikeen Mohd Jaffary; Abdul Kadir Ishak; Zal Uyun Wan Mahmood; Wo, Y.M.; Norfaizal Mohamed; Mohd Tarmizi Ishak

2016-01-01

The effectiveness of KNiFC-PAN absorber, potassium-nickel hexacyanoferrate (II) (KNiFC) bound into modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) have been tested for capability in absorbing radiocesium in seawater samples. The efficiency of the KNiFC-PAN were measured by the different activity of the radiocesium measured using Hyper Pure Germanium Detector (HPGe) in initial spiked seawater and eluent seawater after passed through 5 ml of KNiFC absorber. Study showed 87 % effectiveness of the KNiFC-PAN in absorbing radiocesium. Further study conducted to illustrate relation between spiked seawater and activity measured for 5 ml of KniFC passed through spiked seawater in packed column. This study suggested this relative 15L cubitainer method can be used to monitor the radiocesium in emergency situation for the fast and reliable result. (author)

Concept Design and Development Model of Underground Villas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinrong Liu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of society, modern buildings have been consuming excessive amount of energy and resources. Eco-friendly building is going to be the leading style of architecture in the future. Underground villa, as a type of energy efficient architecture, has widely drawn humans’ attention. However, Chinese are still at an exploratory stage in terms of the development of underground construction. This paper describes several typical underground villas in western developed countries; briefly states the advantages and shortcomings of underground villas; discusses the design of style-planning, inner-space design, lighting and ventilation, and waterproof and fireproof of underground villas; also puts forward how to improve the living environment of underground villas. Besides, the paper suggests an innovative concept of underground living that best suits China’s market based on the merits of underground villas and the analysis upon China’s traditional cave-house. In addition, it roughly analyzes the prospect of this innovate style of dwelling in China.

Cathode protection for underground steel tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelovski, Zoran

1998-01-01

Cathodic protection of underground petroleum storage tanks and piping systems is acceptable for both economic and ecological reasons. With out the cathodic protection of underground steel reservoirs, short time after the exploitation, there was a bore as a result of underground corrosion. The bore causes ecological consequences and at the same time its repair needs big investments. Furthermore, there are great number of tanks placed near cities, so in the future this problem needs a special attention in order to preserve ecological surrounding. The topic of this paper is underground corrosion as well as cathodic protection of steel tanks for oil derivatives storage. (author)

Greening Drylands with Seawater Easily and Naturally.

Science.gov (United States)

Moustafa, Khaled

2017-03-01

The sun and sea are inexhaustible sources of energy and water that could be used to transform drylands into more viable ecosystems. A sustainable and cost-effective approach is proposed for greening drylands and restoring wildlife and biodiversity in deserts using seawater desert-houses (or movable seawater ponds) that could offer important environmental advantages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perchlorate in seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinelango, P. Kalyani [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061 (United States); Tian Kang [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Dasgupta, Purnendu K. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061 (United States)]. E-mail: Sandyd@ttu.edu

2006-05-10

There has been no reliable published data on the presence of perchlorate in seawater. Seaweeds are among the most important plant life in the ocean and are good sources of iodine and have been widely used as food and nutritional supplement. Perchlorate is known to inhibit the transport of iodide by the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), present e.g., in the thyroid and mammary glands. With perchlorate being increasingly detected in drinking water, milk and various other foods, increasing the iodide intake through inexpensive natural supplements may be an attractive solution for maintaining iodine assimilation. We report here measurable concentrations of perchlorate in several samples of seawater (detectable in about half the samples analyzed). We also report the iodide and perchlorate concentrations of 11 different species of seaweed and the corresponding bioconcentration factors (BCF) for perchlorate and iodide, relative to the seawater from which they were harvested. All seaweed samples came from the same region, off the coast of Northeastern Maine. Concentrations of iodide and perchlorate in four seawater samples collected from the region near harvest time were 30 {+-} 11 and 0.16 {+-} 0.084 {mu}g l{sup -1}, respectively. Concentrations of both iodide and perchlorate varied over a wide range for different seaweed species; iodide ranging from 16 to 3134 mg kg{sup -1} and perchlorate from 0.077 to 3.2 mg kg{sup -1}. The Laminaria species had the highest iodide concentration; Laminaria digitata is the seaweed species most commonly used in the kelp tablets sold in health food stores. Our sample of L. digitata contained 3134 {+-} 15 mg iodide/kg dry weight. The BCF varied widely for different species, with Laminaria species concentrating iodide preferentially over perchlorate. The iodide BCF (BCF{sub i}) to perchlorate BCF (BCF{sub p}) quotient ranged from 0.66 to 53; L. digitata and L. saccarina having a BCF{sub i}/BCF{sub p} value of 45 and 53, respectively, far

Perchlorate in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinelango, P. Kalyani; Tian Kang; Dasgupta, Purnendu K.

2006-01-01

There has been no reliable published data on the presence of perchlorate in seawater. Seaweeds are among the most important plant life in the ocean and are good sources of iodine and have been widely used as food and nutritional supplement. Perchlorate is known to inhibit the transport of iodide by the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), present e.g., in the thyroid and mammary glands. With perchlorate being increasingly detected in drinking water, milk and various other foods, increasing the iodide intake through inexpensive natural supplements may be an attractive solution for maintaining iodine assimilation. We report here measurable concentrations of perchlorate in several samples of seawater (detectable in about half the samples analyzed). We also report the iodide and perchlorate concentrations of 11 different species of seaweed and the corresponding bioconcentration factors (BCF) for perchlorate and iodide, relative to the seawater from which they were harvested. All seaweed samples came from the same region, off the coast of Northeastern Maine. Concentrations of iodide and perchlorate in four seawater samples collected from the region near harvest time were 30 ± 11 and 0.16 ± 0.084 μg l -1 , respectively. Concentrations of both iodide and perchlorate varied over a wide range for different seaweed species; iodide ranging from 16 to 3134 mg kg -1 and perchlorate from 0.077 to 3.2 mg kg -1 . The Laminaria species had the highest iodide concentration; Laminaria digitata is the seaweed species most commonly used in the kelp tablets sold in health food stores. Our sample of L. digitata contained 3134 ± 15 mg iodide/kg dry weight. The BCF varied widely for different species, with Laminaria species concentrating iodide preferentially over perchlorate. The iodide BCF (BCF i ) to perchlorate BCF (BCF p ) quotient ranged from 0.66 to 53; L. digitata and L. saccarina having a BCF i /BCF p value of 45 and 53, respectively, far greater than a simple anion exchange process

Comparison of techniques for pre-concentrating radium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourquin, M.; Van Beek, P.; Souhaut, M.; Jeandel, C.; Reyss, J.L.; Charette, M.A.

2008-01-01

In the framework of the KEOPS project (Kerguelen: compared study of the Ocean and the Plateau in Surface water), we aimed to provide information on the water mass pathways and vertical mixing on the Kerguelen Plateau, Southern Ocean, based on 228 Ra profiles. Because 228 Ra activities are extremely low in this area (∼ 0.1 dpm/100 kg or ∼ 2.10 -18 g kg -1 ), the filtration of large volumes of seawater was required in order to be able to detect it with minimal uncertainty. This challenging study was an opportunity for us to test and compare methods aimed at removing efficiently radium isotopes from seawater. We used Mn-fiber that retains radium and that allows the measurement of all four radium isotopes ( 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 223 Ra, 224 Ra). First, we used Niskin bottles or the ship's seawater intake to collect large volumes of seawater that were passed onto Mn-fiber in the laboratory. Second, we filled cartridges with Mn-fiber that we placed in tandem on in situ pumps. Finally, we fixed nylon nets filled with Mn-fiber on the frame of in situ pumps to allow the passive filtration of seawater during the pump deployment. Yields of radium fixation on the cartridges filled with Mn-fiber and placed on in situ pumps are ca. 30% when combining the two cartridges. Because large volumes of seawater can be filtered with these pumps, this yields to effective volumes of 177-280 kg (that is, higher than that recovered from fourteen 12-1 Niskin bottles). Finally, the effective volume of seawater that passed through Mn-fiber placed in nylon nets and deployed during 4 h ranged between 125 and 364 kg. Consequently, the two techniques that separate Ra isotopes in situ are good alternatives for pre-concentrating radium from seawater. They can save ship-time by avoiding repeated CTD casts to obtain the large volumes of seawater. This is especially true when in situ pumps are deployed to collect suspended particles. However, both methods only provide 228 Ra/ 226 Ra ratios. The

30 CFR 57.8519 - Underground main fan controls.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Underground main fan controls. 57.8519 Section... Ventilation Surface and Underground § 57.8519 Underground main fan controls. All underground main fans shall have controls placed at a suitable protected location remote from the fan and preferably on the surface...

40 CFR 280.230 - Operating an underground storage tank or underground storage tank system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... underground storage tank or underground storage tank system. (a) Operating an UST or UST system prior to...) Operating an UST or UST system after foreclosure. The following provisions apply to a holder who, through..., the purchaser must decide whether to operate or close the UST or UST system in accordance with...

Coagulation and ultrafiltration in seawater reverse osmosis pretreatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tabatabai, S.A.A.

2014-01-01

Seawater desalination is a globally expanding coastal industry with an installed capacity of over 80 million m3/day. Algal blooms pose a challenge to the operation of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes and pre-treatment systems due to high concentrations of algal cells and algal organic

Numerical Model of SO2 Scrubbing with Seawater Applied to Marine Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lamas M. I.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The present paper proposes a CFD model to study sulphur dioxide (SO2 absorption in seawater. The focus is on the treatment of marine diesel engine exhaust gas. Both seawater and distilled water were compared to analyze the effect of seawater alkalinity. The results indicate that seawater is more appropriate than distilled water due to its alkalinity, obtaining almost 100% cleaning efficiency for the conditions analyzed. This SO2 reduction meets the limits of SOx emission control areas (SECA when operating on heavy fuel oil. These numerical simulations were satisfactory validated with experimental tests. Such data are essential in designing seawater scrubbers and judging the operating cost of seawater scrubbing compared to alternative fuels.

Underground disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

This report is an overview document for the series of IAEA reports dealing with underground waste disposal to be prepared in the next few years. It provides an introduction to the general considerations involved in implementing underground disposal of radioactive wastes. It suggests factors to be taken into account for developing and assessing waste disposal concepts, including the conditioned waste form, the geological containment and possible additional engineered barriers. These guidelines are general so as to cover a broad range of conditions. They are generally applicable to all types of underground disposal, but the emphasis is on disposal in deep geological formations. Some information presented here may require slight modifications when applied to shallow ground disposal or other types of underground disposal. Modifications may also be needed to reflect local conditions. In some specific cases it may be that not all the considerations dealt with in this book are necessary; on the other hand, while most major considerations are believed to be included, they are not meant to be all-inclusive. The book primarily concerns only underground disposal of the wastes from nuclear fuel cycle operations and those which arise from the use of isotopes for medical and research activities

Development of adsorbents for recovery of uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egawa, Hiroaki; Furusaki, Shintaro.

1987-01-01

The largest subject for putting the extraction of uranium from seawater in practical use is the development of high performance adsorbents for uranium. In this paper, the way of thinking about the development of adsorbents for extracting uranium from seawater and the recent reports on this subject are described. Next, the research on the adsorbing capacity and adsorbing rate of the adsorbents developed so far is summarized, and the way of thinking about the evaluation of adsorbent performance which is the base of the design of a system for extracting uranium from seawater is explained, taking amidoxime type adsorbent as the example. For Japan where energy resources are scant, the uranium contained in seawater, which is estimated to be about 4.2 billion t, is the most luring important element. Uranium is contained in seawater is very low concentration of 3 ppb, and exists as anion complex salt. In 1960s, the Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment in UK found out that titanium oxide hydrate is the most promising as the adsorbent. Also a number of organic absorbents have been developed. In order to bring adsorbents in contact with seawater, pumping, ocean current and wave force are utilized. Adsorbents are in spherical, fiber and film forms, and held as fixed beds and fluidized beds. (Kako, I.) 48 refs

Biomass production of Tetraselmis suecica using seawater with sanguaza

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Silva B.

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The growth of Tetraselmis suecica was evaluated. The experiment was realized using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM with Central Composite Rotational Design (CCRD with two factors, pH and sanguaza/seawater concentration in the range of 7 - 9 and 2 - 5 % (v/v, respectively. The culture media were stirred by bubbling air constantly (0.07 L/s and continuously illuminated with 40 W of fluorescent light in glass containers of 1.5 L capacity at a temperature of 22.5 ± 2.1 °C. Using the Gompertz mathematical model was determined that from an 8.0 of pH and a ratio of 3.5% of sanguaza/seawater, the Tetraselmis suecica achieves maximum growth. An 8.71 of pH and a ratio of 4.56% of sanguaza/seawater allow the Tetraselmis suecica maximum growth (logN/N0 of 0.659, with a 12.3% of prediction error by applying a mathematical model of 2nd order. According to the study, the values obtained in sanguaza/seawater as a culture medium outperformed the traditionally used culture medium (Guillard F/2 with seawater. The results demonstrate the potential use of the sanguaza/seawater medium in scalable studies on pilot scale production of Tetraselmis suecica, with a view to the production of biodiesel

Regulating and Combating Underground Banking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borgers, M.J.

2009-01-01

In combating and regulating underground banking, a choice can be made of roughly two models, the risk model and the assimilation model. The risk model comes down to a complete prohibition of underground banking combined with an active investigation and prosecution policy. In the assimilation model,

Calcium extraction from brine water and seawater using oxalic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Natasha, Nadia Chrisayu; Lalasari, Latifa Hanum

2017-01-01

Calcium can be extracted not only from rocks but also from natural liquor such as seawater and brine water. In order to extract the calcium from seawater and brine water, oxalic acid was used in this research. Effect of variations of the volume of the oxalic acid at a constant concentration in seawater and brine water to produce calcium was investigated. The concentration of oxalic acid was 100 g/l and the variations of its volume were 2 ml, 4 ml, 6 ml, 8 ml, 10 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 40 ml, and 50 ml. The used seawater and brine water were firstly evaporated from 100 ml into 50 ml and then the oxalic acid was added into them with mixing to produce the calcium precipitates. The precipitates were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the filtrates were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The SEM analysis showed that the precipitates from brine water were consisted of only calcium compound while from seawater sodium one was also found along with calcium compound. The XRD analysis showed that the calcium was present in the form of calcium oxalate for both seawater and brine water. The ICP-OES analysis of the filtrate from seawater precipitation showed that the its calcium content was decreased from 826.20 ppm to 0.04 ppm while from brine water, it decreased from 170.06 ppm to 1.96 ppm. These results showed that both seawater and brine water have the potential to be a raw material for calcium production.

Hydraulic conductivity of some bentonites in artificial seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komine, Hideo; Murakami, Satoshi; Yasuhara, Kazuya

2011-01-01

A high-level radioactive waste disposal facility might be built in a coastal area in Japan from the viewpoint of feasible transportation of waste. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of seawater on a bentonite-based buffer. This study investigated the influence of seawater on hydraulic conductivity of three common sodium-types of bentonite and one calcium-type bentonite by the laboratory experiments. >From the results of laboratory experiment, this study discussed the influence of seawater on hydraulic conductivity of bentonites from the viewpoints of kinds of bentonite such as exchangeable-cation type and montmorillonite content and dry density of bentonite-based buffer. (author)

Simulation of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers: Some typical ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Springer Verlag Heidelberg #4 2048 1996 Dec 15 10:16:45

Seawater intrusion; coastal aquifers; density-dependent flow and ... The seawater intrusion mechanism in coastal aquifers generally causes the occurrence of ... (4) The dynamic viscosity of the fluid does not change with respect to salinity and.

One-dimensional self-sealing ability of bentonites in artificial seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komine, Hideo; Yasuhara, Kazuya; Murakami, Satoshi

2009-01-01

A high-level radioactive waste disposal facility might be built in a coastal area in Japan from the viewpoint of feasible transportation of waste. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of seawater on a bentonite-based buffer. This study investigated the influence of seawater on self-sealing ability of three common sodium-types of bentonite by the laboratory experiment and chemical analysis. From the results of laboratory experiment, suitable specifications were defined for a bentonite-based buffer that can withstand the effects of seawater. Furthermore, mechanism on filtration of seawater components in highly compacted bentonite was discussed by the results of chemical analysis. (author)

Behaviour of stainless steel in natural seawater

OpenAIRE

Compere, Chantal; Le Bozec, Nathalie

1997-01-01

In this paper, investigations performed in natural and artificial seawater on stainless steels will be presented. They concerned studies on: biofilm formation, passive layers composition, electrochemical behaviour, localised corrosion and the evolution of these different parameters as a function of ageing time. According to literature surveys, the different aspects will be discussed. Some conclusions will be drawn concerning the actual knowledge on the behaviour of stainless steels in seawater.

An Integrated Risk Index Model Based on Hierarchical Fuzzy Logic for Underground Risk Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Fayaz

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Available space in congested cities is getting scarce due to growing urbanization in the recent past. The utilization of underground space is considered as a solution to the limited space in smart cities. The numbers of underground facilities are growing day by day in the developing world. Typical underground facilities include the transit subway, parking lots, electric lines, water supply and sewer lines. The likelihood of the occurrence of accidents due to underground facilities is a random phenomenon. To avoid any accidental loss, a risk assessment method is required to conduct the continuous risk assessment and report any abnormality before it happens. In this paper, we have proposed a hierarchical fuzzy inference based model for under-ground risk assessment. The proposed hierarchical fuzzy inference architecture reduces the total number of rules from the rule base. Rule reduction is important because the curse of dimensionality damages the transparency and interpretation as it is very tough to understand and justify hundreds or thousands of fuzzy rules. The computation time also increases as rules increase. The proposed model takes 175 rules having eight input parameters to compute the risk index, and the conventional fuzzy logic requires 390,625 rules, having the same number of input parameters to compute risk index. Hence, the proposed model significantly reduces the curse of dimensionality. Rule design for fuzzy logic is also a tedious task. In this paper, we have also introduced new rule schemes, namely maximum rule-based and average rule-based; both schemes can be used interchangeably according to the logic needed for rule design. The experimental results show that the proposed method is a virtuous choice for risk index calculation where the numbers of variables are greater.

Site selection under the underground geologic store plan. Procedures of selecting underground geologic stores as disputed by society, science, and politics. Site selection rules; Mit dem Sachplan Geologische Tiefenlager auf Standortsuche. Auswahlverfahren fuer geologische Tiefenlager im Spannungsfeld von Gesellschaft, Wissenschaft und Politik, Regeln fuer die Standortsuche

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aebersold, M. [Bundesamt fuer Energie BFE, Sektion Entsorgung Radioaktive Abfaelle, Bern (Switzerland)

2008-10-15

The new Nuclear Power Act and the Nuclear Power Ordinance of 2005 are used in Switzerland to select a site of an underground geologic store for radioactive waste in a substantive planning procedure. The ''Underground Geologic Store Substantive Plan'' is to ensure the possibility to build underground geologic stores in an independent, transparent and fair procedure. The Federal Office for Energy (BFE) is the agency responsible for this procedure. The ''Underground Geologic Store'' Substantive Plan comprises these principles: - The long term protection of people and the environment enjoys priority. Aspects of regional planning, economics and society are of secondary importance. - Site selection is based on the waste volumes arising from the five nuclear power plants currently existing in Switzerland. The Substantive Plan is no precedent for or against future nuclear power plants. - A transparent and fair procedure is an indispensable prerequisite for achieving the objectives of a Substantive Plan, i.e., finding accepted sites for underground geologic stores. The Underground Geologic Stores Substantive Plan is arranged in two parts, a conceptual part defining the rules of the selection process, and an implementation part documenting the selection process step by step and, in the end, naming specific sites of underground geologic stores in Switzerland. The objective is to be able to commission underground geologic stores in 25 or 35 years' time. In principle, 2 sites are envisaged, one for low and intermediate level waste, and one for high level waste. The Swiss Federal Council approved the conceptual part on April 2, 2008. This marks the beginning of the implementation phase and the site selection process proper. (orig.)

Underground Politics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galis, Vasilis; Summerton, Jane

Public spaces are often contested sites involving the political use of sociomaterial arrangements to check, control and filter the flow of people (see Virilio 1977, 1996). Such arrangements can include configurations of state-of-the-art policing technologies for delineating and demarcating borders...... status updates on identity checks at the metro stations in Stockholm and reports on locations and time of ticket controls for warning travelers. Thus the attempts by authorities to exert control over the (spatial) arena of the underground is circumvented by the effective developing of an alternative...... infrastructural "underground" consisting of assemblages of technologies, activists, immigrants without papers, texts and emails, homes, smart phones and computers. Investigating the embedded politics of contested spatial arrangements as characteristic of specific societies one can discover not only the uses...

Hybrid gas turbine–organic Rankine cycle for seawater desalination by reverse osmosis in a hydrocarbon production facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eveloy, Valérie; Rodgers, Peter; Qiu, Linyue

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Seawater reverse osmosis driven by hybrid gas turbine–organic Rankine power cycle. • High ambient air and seawater temperatures, and high seawater salinity. • Energy–exergy analysis of power and desalination systems for six organic fluids. • Economic viability of waste heat recovery in subsidized utility pricing context. - Abstract: Despite water scarcity, the use of industrial waste heat for seawater desalination has been limited in the Middle East to date. This study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of integrating on-site gas turbine power generation and reverse osmosis equipment for the production of both electricity and fresh water in a coastal hydrocarbon production facility. Gas turbine exhaust gas waste heat is recovered using an intermediate heat transfer fluid and fed to an organic Rankine cycle evaporator, to generate mechanical power to drive the reverse osmosis high pressure pump. Six candidate organic working fluids are evaluated, namely toluene, benzene, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, n-pentane and R245fa. Thermodynamic and desalination performance are assessed in the harsh climatic and salinity conditions of the Arabian Gulf. The performance metrics considered incorporate electric power and permeate production, thermal and exergy efficiency, specific energy consumption, system size, and permeate quality. Using toluene in the bottoming power cycle, a gain in power generation efficiency of approximately 12% is achieved relative to the existing gas turbine cycle, with an annual average of 2260 m"3/h of fresh water produced. Depending upon the projected evolution of local water prices, the investment becomes profitable after two to four years, with an end-of-life net present value of 220–380 million USD, and internal rate of return of 26–48%.

Low-level counting techniques in the underground laboratory `Felsenkeller` in Dresden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niese, S [Nuclear Engineering and Analytics Rossendorf, Inc., Dresden (Germany); Koehler, M [Nuclear Engineering and Analytics Rossendorf, Inc., Dresden (Germany)

1997-03-01

Low radioactivity measurements are characterized by low detection limits. They are mainly determined by the background. The contribution of cosmic rays may be reduced drastically by installation of measurement devices in an underground laboratory. In 1982 we installed a chamber with a shield of ultramafic rock for low-level measurements within a cave of an old brewery named `Felsenkeller`. In this laboratory we used low-level {gamma}-spectrometry for the measurement of neutron activated samples of semiconductor silicon (Niese (1986)), of cosmic induced radioactivity in meteorites, chemically separated long-lived nuclides in low-level wastes, contaminated materials and of environmental samples. (orig./DG)

UNDERGROUND AIR DUCT TO CONTROL RISING MOISTURE IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS: IMPROVED DESIGN AND ITS DRYING EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Pazderka

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The underground air ducts along peripheral walls of a building are a remediation method, which principle is to enable an air flow along the moist building structure’s surface to allow a sufficient evaporation of moisture from the structure. This measure reduces the water transport (rising moisture into the higher parts of the wall where the high water content in masonry is undesirable. Presently, underground air ducts are designed as masonry structures, which durability in contact with ground moisture is limited. The article describes a new design of an underground air duct, which is based on specially shaped concrete blocks (without wet processes, because the blocks are completely precast. The air duct from concrete blocks is situated completely below the ground surface (exterior or below the floor (interior. Thanks to this, the system is invisible and does not disturb the authentic look of rehabilitated historic buildings. The efficiency of the air duct technical solution was verified by the results of tests (based on the measured moisture values conducted on a laboratory model. The experimental study showed that the moisture in the masonry equipped with the presented underground air duct had decreased considerably compared to the reference sample, namely by 43 % on average. The experimental study was numerically validated through numerical simulations performed with the program WUFI 2D.

Groundwater and underground coal gasification in Alberta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haluszka, A.; MacMillan, G.; Maev, S.

2010-01-01

Underground coal gasification has potential in Alberta. This presentation provided background information on underground coal gasification and discussed groundwater and the Laurus Energy demonstration project. A multi-disciplined approach to project assessment was described with particular reference to geologic and hydrogeologic setting; geologic mapping; and a hydrogeologic numerical model. Underground coal gasification involves the conversion of coal into synthesis gas or syngas. It can be applied to mined coal at the surface or applied to non-mined coal seams using injection and production wells. Underground coal gasification can effect groundwater as the rate of water influx into the coal seams influences the quality and composition of the syngas. Byproducts created include heat as well as water with dissolved concentrations of ammonia, phenols, salts, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and liquid organic products from the pyrolysis of coal. A process overview of underground coal gasification was also illustrated. It was concluded that underground coal gasification has the potential in Alberta and risks to groundwater could be minimized by a properly designed project. refs., figs.

Biofouling control of industrial seawater cooling towers

KAUST Repository

Al-Bloushi, Mohammed

2017-01-01

In this study, the research focuses on biofouling control in seawater cooling towers by investigating two different approaches. The first strategy addresses the use of alternative oxidants (i.e. ozone micro-bubbles and chlorine dioxide) in treatment of cooling towers. The second strategy investigates removing nutrients in seawater using granular activated carbon filter column and ultrafiltration to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Laboratory bench-scale tests in terms of temperature, cycle of concentration, dosage, etc. indicated that, at lower oxidant dosages (total residual oxidant (TRO) equivalent = 0.1 mg/l Cl2), chlorine dioxide had a better disinfection effect than chlorine and ozone. The performance of oxidizing biocides at pilot scale, operating at assorted conditions, showed that for the disinfectants tested, ozone could remove 95 % bioactivity of total number of bacteria and algae followed by chlorine dioxide at 85%, while conventional chlorine dosing only gave 60% reduction in bioactivities. Test results of GAC bio-filter showed that around 70 % removal of total organic carbon in the seawater feed was achieved and was effective in keeping the microbial growth to a minimum. The measured results from this study enable designers of seawater cooling towers to manage the biofouling problems when such cooling towers are extrapolated to a pilot scale.

Durability of high performance concrete in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amjad Hussain Memon; Salihuddin Radin Sumadi; Rabitah Handan

2000-01-01

This paper presents a report on the effects of blended cements on the durability of high performance concrete (HPC) in seawater. In this research the effect of seawater was investigated. The specimens were initially subjected to water curing for seven days inside the laboratory at room temperature, followed by seawater curing exposed to tidal zone until testing. In this study three levels of cement replacement (0%, 30% and 70%) were used. The combined use of chemical and mineral admixtures has resulted in a new generation of concrete called HPC. The HPC has been identified as one of the most important advanced materials necessary in the effort to build a nation's infrastructure. HPC opens new opportunities in the utilization of the industrial by-products (mineral admixtures) in the construction industry. As a matter of fact permeability is considered as one of the fundamental properties governing the durability of concrete in the marine environment. Results of this investigation indicated that the oxygen permeability values for the blended cement concretes at the age of one year are reduced by a factor of about 2 as compared to OPC control mix concrete. Therefore both blended cement concretes are expected to withstand in the seawater exposed to tidal zone without serious deterioration. (Author)

A Survey of Tritium in Irish Seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Currivan, L.; Kelleher, K.; McGinnity, P.; Wong, J.; McMahon, C.

2013-07-01

This report provides a comprehensive record of the study and measurements of tritium in Irish seawater undertaken by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland RPII. The majority of the samples analysed were found to have tritium concentrations below the limit of detection and a conservative assessment of radiation dose arising showed a negligible impact to the public. Tritium is discharged in large quantities from various nuclear facilities, and mostly in liquid form. For this reason it is included in the list of radioactive substances of interest to the OSPAR (Oslo-Paris) Convention to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. To fulfil its role within OSPAR, to provide technical support to the Irish Government, RPII carried out a project to determine the levels of tritium in seawater from around the Irish coast to supplement its routine marine monitoring programme. A total of 85 seawater samples were collected over a three year period and analysed at the RPII's laboratory. Given that the operational discharges for tritium from the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant at Sellafield, UK, are expected to increase due to current and planned decommissioning activities RPII will continue to monitor tritium levels in seawater around the Irish coast, including the Irish Sea, as part of its routine marine monitoring programme

Mimicking Seawater For Culturing Marine Bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rygaard, Anita Mac; Sonnenschein, Eva; Gram, Lone

2015-01-01

Only about 1% of marine bacteria have been brought into culture using traditional techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate if mimicking the natural bacterial environment can increase culturability.We used marine substrates containing defined algal polymers or gellan gum as solidif......Only about 1% of marine bacteria have been brought into culture using traditional techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate if mimicking the natural bacterial environment can increase culturability.We used marine substrates containing defined algal polymers or gellan gum...... as solidifying agents, and enumerated bacteria from seawater and algal exudates. We tested if culturability could be influenced by addition of quorum sensing signals (AHLs). All plates were incubated at 15°C. Bacterial counts (CFU/g) from algal exudates from brown algae were highest on media containing algal...... polymers. In general, bacteria isolated from algal exudates preferred more rich media than bacteria isolated from seawater. Overall, culturability ranged from 0.01 to 0.8% as compared to total cell count. Substitution of agar with gellan gum increased the culturability of seawater bacteria approximately...

Endothelial Semaphorin 7A promotes inflammation in seawater aspiration-induced acute lung injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Minlong; Wang, Li; Dong, Mingqing; Li, Zhichao; Jin, Faguang

2014-10-28

Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of seawater aspiration-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Although several studies have shown that Semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A) promotes inflammation, there are limited reports regarding immunological function of SEMA7A in seawater aspiration-induced ALI. Therefore, we investigated the role of SEMA7A during seawater aspiration-induced ALI. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were underwent seawater instillation. Then, lung samples were collected at an indicated time for analysis. In addition, rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (RPMVECs) were cultured and then stimulated with 25% seawater for indicated time point. After these treatments, cells samples were collected for analysis. In vivo, seawater instillation induced lung histopathologic changes, pro-inflammation cytokines release and increased expression of SEMA7A. In vitro, seawater stimulation led to pro-inflammation cytokine release, cytoskeleton remodeling and increased monolayer permeability in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. In addition, knockdown of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α inhibited the seawater induced increase expression of SEMA7A. Meanwhile, knockdown of SEMA7A by specific siRNA inhibited the seawater induced aberrant inflammation, endothelial cytoskeleton remodeling and endothelial permeability. These results suggest that SEMA7A is critical in the development of lung inflammation and pulmonary edema in seawater aspiration-induced ALI, and may be a therapeutic target for this disease.

Uranium from Seawater Program Review; Fuel Resources Uranium from Seawater Program DOE Office of Nuclear Energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2013-07-01

For nuclear energy to remain sustainable in the United States, economically viable sources of uranium beyond terrestrial ores must be developed. The goal of this program is to develop advanced adsorbents that can extract uranium from seawater at twice the capacity of the best adsorbent developed by researchers at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 1.5 mg U/g adsorbent. A multidisciplinary team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the University of Texas at Austin was assembled to address this challenging problem. Polymeric adsorbents, based on the radiation grafting of acrylonitrile and methacrylic acid onto high surface-area polyethylene fibers followed by conversion of the nitriles to amidoximes, have been developed. These poly(acrylamidoxime-co-methacrylic acid) fibers showed uranium adsorption capacities for the extraction of uranium from seawater that exceed 3 mg U/g adsorbent in testing at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Marine Sciences Laboratory. The essence of this novel technology lies in the unique high surface-area trunk material that considerably increases the grafting yield of functional groups without compromising its mechanical properties. This technology received an R&D100 Award in 2012. In addition, high surface area nanomaterial adsorbents are under development with the goal of increasing uranium adsorption capacity by taking advantage of the high surface areas and tunable porosity of carbon-based nanomaterials. Simultaneously, de novo structure-based computational design methods are being used to design more selective and stable ligands and the most promising candidates are being synthesized, tested and evaluated for incorporation onto a support matrix. Fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic studies are being carried out to improve the adsorption efficiency, the selectivity of uranium over other metals, and the stability of the adsorbents. Understanding

Fast concentration of dissolved forms of cesium radioisotopes from large seawater samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jan Kamenik; Henrieta Dulaiova; Ferdinand Sebesta; Kamila St'astna; Czech Technical University, Prague

2013-01-01

The method developed for cesium concentration from large freshwater samples was tested and adapted for analysis of cesium radionuclides in seawater. Concentration of dissolved forms of cesium in large seawater samples (about 100 L) was performed using composite absorbers AMP-PAN and KNiFC-PAN with ammonium molybdophosphate and potassium–nickel hexacyanoferrate(II) as active components, respectively, and polyacrylonitrile as a binding polymer. A specially designed chromatography column with bed volume (BV) 25 mL allowed fast flow rates of seawater (up to 1,200 BV h -1 ). The recovery yields were determined by ICP-MS analysis of stable cesium added to seawater sample. Both absorbers proved usability for cesium concentration from large seawater samples. KNiFC-PAN material was slightly more effective in cesium concentration from acidified seawater (recovery yield around 93 % for 700 BV h -1 ). This material showed similar efficiency in cesium concentration also from natural seawater. The activity concentrations of 137 Cs determined in seawater from the central Pacific Ocean were 1.5 ± 0.1 and 1.4 ± 0.1 Bq m -3 for an offshore (January 2012) and a coastal (February 2012) locality, respectively, 134 Cs activities were below detection limit ( -3 ). (author)

Influence of glacial meltwater on global seawater δ234U

Science.gov (United States)

Arendt, Carli A.; Aciego, Sarah M.; Sims, Kenneth W. W.; Das, Sarah B.; Sheik, Cody; Stevenson, Emily I.

2018-03-01

We present the first published uranium-series measurements from modern Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) runoff and proximal seawater, and investigate the influence of glacial melt on global seawater δ234U over glacial-interglacial (g-ig) timescales. Climate reconstructions based on closed-system uranium-thorium (U/Th) dating of fossil corals assume U chemistry of seawater has remained stable over time despite notable fluctuations in major elemental compositions, concentrations, and isotopic compositions of global seawater on g-ig timescales. Deglacial processes increase weathering, significantly increasing U-series concentrations and changing the δ234U of glacial meltwater. Analyses of glacial discharge from GrIS outlet glaciers indicate that meltwater runoff has elevated U concentrations and differing 222Rn concentrations and δ234U compositions, likely due to variations in subglacial residence time. Locations with high δ234U have the potential to increase proximal seawater δ234U. To better understand the impact of bulk glacial melt on global seawater δ234U over time, we use a simple box model to scale these processes to periods of extreme deglaciation. We account for U fluxes from the GrIS, Antarctica, and large Northern Hemisphere Continental Ice Sheets, and assess sensitivity by varying melt volumes, duration and U flux input rates based on modern subglacial water U concentrations and compositions. All scenarios support the hypothesis that global seawater δ234U has varied by more than 1‰ through time as a function of predictable perturbations in continental U fluxes during g-ig periods.

Degradation of riverine dissolved organic matter by seawater bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rochelle-Newall, E.J.; Pizay, M-D.; Middelburg, J.J.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Gattuso, J.P.

2004-01-01

The functional response of a seawater bacterial community transplanted into freshwater dissolved organic matter (DOM) was investigated together with the response of natural populations of bacteria to size-fractioned natural source water. Seawater bacteria were incubated over a period of 8 d in

Corrosion of mild steel, copper and brass in crude oil / seawater mixture

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrabhaDevi, S.; Sawant, S.S.; Wagh, A.B.

Mild steel, copper and brass coupons were introduced in natural seawater containing varying amount of crude oil. Mild steel showed higher rate of corrosion in seawater containing oil and lower corrosion rate in natural as well as artificial seawater...

Full utilization of silt density index (SDI) measurements for seawater pre-treatment

KAUST Repository

Wei, Chunhai; Laborie, Sté phanie; Ben Aï m, Roger M.; Amy, Gary L.

2012-01-01

according to the standard protocol for SDI measurement, in which two kinds of 0.45μm membranes of different material and seawater samples from the Mediterranean including raw seawater and seawater pre-treated by coagulation followed by sand filtration (CSF

Surface effects of underground nuclear explosions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, B.M.; Drellack, S.L. Jr.; Townsend, M.J.

1997-06-01

The effects of nuclear explosions have been observed and studied since the first nuclear test (code named Trinity) on July 16, 1945. Since that first detonation, 1,053 nuclear tests have been conducted by the US, most of which were sited underground at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The effects of underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) on their surroundings have long been the object of much interest and study, especially for containment, engineering, and treaty verification purposes. One aspect of these explosion-induced phenomena is the disruption or alteration of the near-surface environment, also known as surface effects. This report was prepared at the request of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), to bring together, correlate, and preserve information and techniques used in the recognition and documentation of surface effects of UNEs. This report has several main sections, including pertinent background information (Section 2.0), descriptions of the different types of surface effects (Section 3.0), discussion of their application and limitations (Section 4.0), an extensive bibliography and glossary (Section 6.0 and Appendix A), and procedures used to document geologic surface effects at the NTS (Appendix C). Because a majority of US surface-effects experience is from the NTS, an overview of pertinent NTS-specific information also is provided in Appendix B. It is not within the scope of this report to explore new relationships among test parameters, physiographic setting, and the types or degree of manifestation of surface effects, but rather to compile, summarize, and capture surface-effects observations and interpretations, as well as documentation procedures and the rationale behind them.

Standardization of solvent extraction procedure for determination of uranium in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sukanta Maity; Sahu, S.K.; Pandit, G.G.

2015-01-01

Solvent extraction procedure using ammonium pyrolidine dithiocarbamate complexing agent in methyl isobutyl ketone organic phase and acid exchange back-extraction is described for the simultaneous quantitative pre-concentration of uranium in seawater followed by its determination by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry. Solvent extraction time is optimized for extraction of uranium from seawater. Solvent extraction efficiency for uranium in seawater at different pH was carried out. The method gives a recovery of 98 ± 2 % for 400 mL sample at pH 3.0 ± 0.02, facilitating the rapid and interference free analysis of seawater samples. (author)

Assessment of Underground Water Contamination and Effect of Textile Effluents on Noyyal River Basin In and Around Tiruppur Town, Tamilnadu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Geetha

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A systematic study has been carried out to assess the underground water contamination and the effect of textile effluents on Noyyal River basin in and around Tiruppur Town. Twenty six sampling locations were selected at random and the ground water samples were collected mostly from tube wells at Noyyal River basin in and around Tiruppur area. The samples were analyzed for major physical and chemical water quality parameters like pH, alkalinity, electrical conductivity (EC, total dissolved solids (TDS, total hardness (TH, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl & SO42-. It was found that the underground water quality was contaminated at few sampling sites due to the industrial discharge of the effluents on to the river or land from the Tiruppur town. The sampling sites namely Orathupalayam, Karuvapalayam, Kulathupalayam, Uttukuli and Kodumanalpudur showed high deviations in total alkalinity, total hardness, Ca, Mg and chloride concentrations. Hence our study concludes that the underground water quality study in this region shows a constant variation in different parameters in different periods (before and after monsoon. So it is highly important to take periodical monitoring of the underground water quality in this region for our future sustainability

Underground reactor containments: An option for the future?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C.W.; Kress, T.

1997-01-01

Changing world conditions and changing technologies suggest that serious consideration should be given to siting of nuclear power plants underground. Underground siting is not a new concept. Multiple research reactors, several weapons production reactors, and one power reactor have been built underground. What is new are the technologies and incentives that may now make underground siting a preferred option. The conditions and technologies, along with their implications, are discussed herein. Underground containments can be constructed in mined cavities or pits that are then backfilled with thick layers of rock and soil. Conventional above-ground containments resist assaults and accidents because of the strength of their construction materials and the effectiveness of their safety features that are engineered to reduce loads. However, underground containments can provide even more resistance to assaults and accidents because of the inertia of the mass of materials over the reactor. High-technology weapons or some internal accidents can cause existing strong-material containments to fail, but only very-high energy releases can move large inertial masses associated with underground containments. New methods of isolation may provide a higher confidence in isolation that is independent of operator action

Seawater-drowning-induced acute lung injury: From molecular mechanisms to potential treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Faguang; Li, Congcong

2017-06-01

Drowning is a crucial public safety problem and is the third leading cause of accidental fatality, claiming ~372,000 lives annually, worldwide. In near-drowning patients, acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most common complications. Approximately 1/3 of near-drowning patients fulfill the criteria for ALI or ARDS. In the present article, the current literature of near-drowning, pathophysiologic changes and the molecular mechanisms of seawater-drowning-induced ALI and ARDS was reviewed. Seawater is three times more hyperosmolar than plasma, and following inhalation of seawater the hyperosmotic seawater may cause serious injury in the lung and alveoli. The perturbing effects of seawater may be primarily categorized into insufficiency of pulmonary surfactant, blood-air barrier disruption, formation of pulmonary edema, inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, apoptosis and various other hypertonic stimulation. Potential treatments for seawater-induced ALI/ARDS were also presented, in addition to suggestions for further studies. A total of nine therapeutic strategies had been tested and all had focused on modulating the over-activated immunoreactions. In conclusion, seawater drowning is a complex injury process and the exact mechanisms and potential treatments require further exploration.

Seawater-drowning-induced acute lung injury: From molecular mechanisms to potential treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Faguang; Li, Congcong

2017-01-01

Drowning is a crucial public safety problem and is the third leading cause of accidental fatality, claiming ~372,000 lives annually, worldwide. In near-drowning patients, acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most common complications. Approximately 1/3 of near-drowning patients fulfill the criteria for ALI or ARDS. In the present article, the current literature of near-drowning, pathophysiologic changes and the molecular mechanisms of seawater-drowning-induced ALI and ARDS was reviewed. Seawater is three times more hyperosmolar than plasma, and following inhalation of seawater the hyperosmotic seawater may cause serious injury in the lung and alveoli. The perturbing effects of seawater may be primarily categorized into insufficiency of pulmonary surfactant, blood-air barrier disruption, formation of pulmonary edema, inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, apoptosis and various other hypertonic stimulation. Potential treatments for seawater-induced ALI/ARDS were also presented, in addition to suggestions for further studies. A total of nine therapeutic strategies had been tested and all had focused on modulating the over-activated immunoreactions. In conclusion, seawater drowning is a complex injury process and the exact mechanisms and potential treatments require further exploration. PMID:28587319

Plutonium determination in seawater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Liguo; Bu, Wenting; Zheng, Jian; Pan, Shaoming; Wang, Zhongtang; Uchida, Shigeo

2016-05-01

Knowing the concentration and isotopic ratio of Pu in seawater is of critical importance for assessing Pu contamination and investigating oceanic processes. In recent decades, the concentration of (239+240)Pu in seawater, particularly for surface seawater, has presented an exponential decreasing trend with time; thus determination of Pu in seawater has become a challenge nowadays. Here, we have summarized and critically discussed a variety of reported analytical methods for Pu determination in seawater sample based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analytical technique for rapid ultra-trace detection of Pu. Generally, pretreatments for seawater sample include co-precipitation, valence adjustment and chemical separation and purification procedures, all of which are comprehensively reviewed. Overall, the selected anion-exchange, extraction resins and operation condition are important for decontamination of interference from matrix elements and achieving satisfactory chemical yields. In addition, other mass spectrometric and radiometric detections are briefly addressed and compared with the focus on assessing ICP-MS. Finally, we discuss some issues and prospects in determination and application of Pu isotopes in seawater samples for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A field study of physico-chemical states of artificial radionuclides in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaya, Yutaka; Nakamura, Kiyoshi

1974-01-01

The physico-chemical states of artificial radionuclides, 90 Sr, 137 Cs and 144 Ce in seawater were investigated by radiochemical analysis of filtered and unfiltered seawater. The difference of radionuclide concentrations between unfiltered and filtered seawaters was defined as the ''particulate form'' radioisotope and its ''particle ratio'' was discussed. Practically no particulate 90 Sr, greater than 0.22 μ in size, was observed in both coastal and open seawaters, but some of 137 Cs seemed to be insoluble in some circumstances, especially in coastal waters. A considerable amount of 144 Ce was found to be particulate. An estimation of the radionuclides in particulate form was made for Kashima-nada seawaters collected in 1970 to 1972, and it was shown that the possible occurrence of particulate radionuclides, greater than 0.22 μ in size, were 1% or less for 90 Sr and 6% for 137 Cs. In the coastal water, 80% of 144 Ce were seemed to be in particulate form, but in the open seawater only a few %. The influences of suspended materials to 137 Cs and 144 Ce concentration levels in seawater were not negligible and further investigations are desirable. (auth.)

Underground infrastructure damage for a Chicago scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dey, Thomas N [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Bos, Rabdall J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2011-01-25

Estimating effects due to an urban IND (improvised nuclear device) on underground structures and underground utilities is a challenging task. Nuclear effects tests performed at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) during the era of nuclear weapons testing provides much information on how underground military structures respond. Transferring this knowledge to answer questions about the urban civilian environment is needed to help plan responses to IND scenarios. Explosions just above the ground surface can only couple a small fraction of the blast energy into an underground shock. The various forms of nuclear radiation have limited penetration into the ground. While the shock transmitted into the ground carries only a small fraction of the blast energy, peak stresses are generally higher and peak ground displacement is lower than in the air blast. While underground military structures are often designed to resist stresses substantially higher than due to the overlying rocks and soils (overburden), civilian structures such as subways and tunnels would generally only need to resist overburden conditions with a suitable safety factor. Just as we expect the buildings themselves to channel and shield air blast above ground, basements and other underground openings as well as changes of geology will channel and shield the underground shock wave. While a weaker shock is expected in an urban environment, small displacements on very close-by faults, and more likely, soils being displaced past building foundations where utility lines enter could readily damaged or disable these services. Immediately near an explosion, the blast can 'liquefy' a saturated soil creating a quicksand-like condition for a period of time. We extrapolate the nuclear effects experience to a Chicago-based scenario. We consider the TARP (Tunnel and Reservoir Project) and subway system and the underground lifeline (electric, gas, water, etc) system and provide guidance for planning this scenario.

Adsorption and desorption of phosphate on limestone in experiments simulating seawater intrusion

Science.gov (United States)

The absorption and desorption of phosphorus on a large block of limestone was investigated using deionized water (DIW) and seawater. The limestone had a high affinity to adsorb phosphorus in DIW. Phosphate adsorption was significantly less in seawater, and more phosphorus was desorbed in the seawate...

Seawater infiltration effect on thermal degradation of fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Mohd Haziq Izzuddin bin; Hassan, Mohamad Zaki bin; Ibrahim, Ikhwan; Rashidi, Ahmad Hadi Mohamed; Nor, Siti Fadzilah M.; Daud, Mohd Yusof Md

2018-05-01

Seawater salinity has been associated with the reduction of polymer structure durability. The aim of this study is to investigate the change in thermal degradation of fiber reinforced epoxy composite due to the presence of seawater. Carbon fiber, carbon/kevlar, fiberglass, and jute that reinforced with epoxy resin was laminated through hand-layup technique. Initially, these specimen was sectioned to 5×5 mm dimension, then immersed in seawater and distilled water at room temperature until it has thoroughly saturated. Following, the thermal degradation analysis using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), the thermic changes due to seawater infiltration was defined. The finding shows that moisture absorption reduces the glass transition temperature (Tg) of fiber reinforced epoxy composite. However, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of seawater infiltrated laminate composite is compareable with distilled water infiltrated laminate composite. The carbon fiber reinfored epoxy has the highest glass transition temperature out of all specimen.

Intensively exploited Mediterranean aquifers: resilience to seawater intrusion and proximity to critical thresholds

Science.gov (United States)

Mazi, K.; Koussis, A. D.; Destouni, G.

2014-05-01

We investigate seawater intrusion in three prominent Mediterranean aquifers that are subject to intensive exploitation and modified hydrologic regimes by human activities: the Nile Delta, Israel Coastal and Cyprus Akrotiri aquifers. Using a generalized analytical sharp interface model, we review the salinization history and current status of these aquifers, and quantify their resilience/vulnerability to current and future seawater intrusion forcings. We identify two different critical limits of seawater intrusion under groundwater exploitation and/or climatic stress: a limit of well intrusion, at which intruded seawater reaches key locations of groundwater pumping, and a tipping point of complete seawater intrusion up to the prevailing groundwater divide of a coastal aquifer. Either limit can be reached, and ultimately crossed, under intensive aquifer exploitation and/or climate-driven change. We show that seawater intrusion vulnerability for different aquifer cases can be directly compared in terms of normalized intrusion performance curves. The site-specific assessments show that (a) the intruding seawater currently seriously threatens the Nile Delta aquifer, (b) in the Israel Coastal aquifer the sharp interface toe approaches the well location and (c) the Cyprus Akrotiri aquifer is currently somewhat less threatened by increased seawater intrusion.

60Co levels in the seawater regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Mitsuo

1983-01-01

In order to assess the contribution from nuclear power facilities to the 60 Co levels in seawater regions, it is essential to grasp the background values of 60 Co. The following matters are described: 60 Co sources and the respective inputs; nuclear test fallout and nuclear power plants; the 60 Co levels in overseas countries; the 60 Co levels in Japan; the 60 Co levels from nuclear power plants in Fukui prefecture. In the seawater regions around Japan, there have been numerous instances of 60 Co detection; several pCi/kg of dry earth in sea bottom earth and about 1 pCi/kg of raw material in marine life can be considered as the background levels due to nuclear test fallout and nuclear-powered submarines. In the seawater regions of Fukui prefecture, the 60 Co levels appreciably exceeded the above background due to the nuclear power plants, which are insignificant concerning the radiation exposure of the local people. (Mori, K.)

Extracting Minerals from Seawater: An Energy Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ugo Bardi

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The concept of recovering minerals from seawater has been proposed as a way of counteracting the gradual depletion of conventional mineral ores. Seawater contains large amounts of dissolved ions and the four most concentrated metal ones (Na, Mg, Ca, K are being commercially extracted today. However, all the other metal ions exist at much lower concentrations. This paper reports an estimate of the feasibility of the extraction of these metal ions on the basis of the energy needed. In most cases, the result is that extraction in amounts comparable to the present production from land mines would be impossible because of the very large amount of energy needed. This conclusion holds also for uranium as fuel for the present generation of nuclear fission plants. Nevertheless, in a few cases, mainly lithium, extraction from seawater could provide amounts of metals sufficient for closing the cycle of metal use in the economy, provided that an increased level of recycling can be attained.

Ecology and economic estimate of using of the underground excavation space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umnov, V.A.; Tarasov, V.F.; Tret'yakov, I.O.; Sheloumov, A.A.

1995-01-01

Stages of ecological and economic estimates of utilizing underground space, including evaluation of underground space resources, selection of its utilization trends and substantiation of optimal parameters for selected trends, are considered. Certain directions of possible repeated utilization of mining excavations are shown, including underground hydropower stations, underground energy storages, underground nuclear stations. Underground waste disposal is one of the most available directions in utilization of the underground space presently. Evaluation of the underground space utilization at all stages envisages complete account of all economical, social and ecological results

Uncertainties in Climatological Seawater Density Calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Hao; Zhang, Xining

2018-03-01

In most applications, with seawater conductivity, temperature, and pressure data measured in situ by various observation instruments e.g., Conductivity-Temperature-Depth instruments (CTD), the density which has strong ties to ocean dynamics and so on is computed according to equations of state for seawater. This paper, based on density computational formulae in the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10), follows the Guide of the expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) and assesses the main sources of uncertainties. By virtue of climatological decades-average temperature/Practical Salinity/pressure data sets in the global ocean provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), correlation coefficients between uncertainty sources are determined and the combined standard uncertainties uc>(ρ>) in seawater density calculations are evaluated. For grid points in the world ocean with 0.25° resolution, the standard deviations of uc>(ρ>) in vertical profiles cover the magnitude order of 10-4 kg m-3. The uc>(ρ>) means in vertical profiles of the Baltic Sea are about 0.028kg m-3 due to the larger scatter of Absolute Salinity anomaly. The distribution of the uc>(ρ>) means in vertical profiles of the world ocean except for the Baltic Sea, which covers the range of >(0.004,0.01>) kg m-3, is related to the correlation coefficient r>(SA,p>) between Absolute Salinity SA and pressure p. The results in the paper are based on sensors' measuring uncertainties of high accuracy CTD. Larger uncertainties in density calculations may arise if connected with lower sensors' specifications. This work may provide valuable uncertainty information required for reliability considerations of ocean circulation and global climate models.

Earthquake damage to underground facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratt, H.R.; Stephenson, D.E.; Zandt, G.; Bouchon, M.; Hustrulid, W.A.

1980-01-01

In order to assess the seismic risk for an underground facility, a data base was established and analyzed to evaluate the potential for seismic disturbance. Substantial damage to underground facilities is usually the result of displacements primarily along pre-existing faults and fractures, or at the surface entrance to these facilities. Evidence of this comes from both earthquakes and large explosions. Therefore, the displacement due to earthquakes as a function of depth is important in the evaluation of the hazard to underground facilities. To evaluate potential displacements due to seismic effects of block motions along pre-existing or induced fractures, the displacement fields surrounding two types of faults were investigated. Analytical models were used to determine relative displacements of shafts and near-surface displacement of large rock masses. Numerical methods were used to determine the displacement fields associated with pure strike-slip and vertical normal faults. Results are presented as displacements for various fault lengths as a function of depth and distance. This provides input to determine potential displacements in terms of depth and distance for underground facilities, important for assessing potential sites and design parameters

Impediment to symbiosis establishment between giant clams and Symbiodinium algae due to sterilization of seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurihara, Takeo; Yamada, Hideaki; Inoue, Ken; Iwai, Kenji; Hatta, Masayuki

2013-01-01

To survive the juvenile stage, giant clam juveniles need to establish a symbiotic relationship with the microalgae Symbiodinium occurring in the environment. The percentage of giant clam juveniles succeeding in symbiosis establishment ("symbiosis rate") is often low, which is problematic for seed producers. We investigated how and why symbiosis rates vary, depending on whether giant clam seeds are continuously reared in UV treated or non treated seawater. Results repeatedly demonstrated that symbiosis rates were lower for UV treated seawater than for non treated seawater. Symbiosis rates were also lower for autoclaved seawater and 0.2-µm filtered seawater than for non treated seawater. The decreased symbiosis rates in various sterilized seawater suggest the possibility that some factors helping symbiosis establishment in natural seawater are weakened owing to sterilization. The possible factors include vitality of giant clam seeds, since additional experiments revealed that survival rates of seeds reared alone without Symbiodinium were lower in sterilized seawater than in non treated seawater. In conclusion, UV treatment of seawater was found to lead to decreased symbiosis rates, which is due possibly to some adverse effects common to the various sterilization techniques and relates to the vitality of the giant clam seeds.

30 CFR 57.4461 - Gasoline use restrictions underground.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Gasoline use restrictions underground. 57.4461... Prevention and Control Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases § 57.4461 Gasoline use restrictions underground. If gasoline is used underground to power internal combustion engines— (a) The mine shall be...

Radon study in underground buildings in Chongqing, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Wen; Jiang Rende; Liu Yigang

1993-01-01

Radon concentration measurements using a scintillation detector were conducted in 51 large underground buildings, which have been used as hotels, entertainment halls, restaurants, shops and factories, etc, in Chongqing, China. The results showed that the radon concentrations in these underground buildings ranged from 3.2 to 616.2 Bqm -3 . The arithmetic mean was 57.6 Bqm -3 , which was about 4 times as much as the mean radon concentration in ground buildings in Chongqing. The underground buildings with the highest radon concentrations were correlated with the high content of radium-226 in building materials, mechanical ventilation through interior circulatory ducts, underground depth of the building, and particularly, fissures in the walls. Measures of radon mitigation in underground buildings were recommended. (orig.). (3 refs., 5 tabs.)

Construction and maintenance of underground mine roads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Logan, A.S.; Seedsman, R.W. [Coffey Partners International Pty. Ltd. (Australia)

1995-12-31

Good roads are essential in moving men and materials to and from the underground workplace. An underground coal industry funded project was recently completed on underground mine road construction and maintenance. This paper discusses practical approaches to construction and maintenance of underground mine roads using transferable civil technologies and innovative techniques. Mine pavements are generally low-cost (relative to civil roads), constructed to varying standards using locally available materials to best meet the mobility needs of the mine. Performance of pavements is thus largely dependent on the environmental conditions, quality of the available road making materials, maintenance policies and available resources. This paper explains the causes of bad roads in various underground environments. It details available management strategies, construction and water control techniques, road maintenance and vehicle considerations. It concludes that the trend to larger rubber tires mining equipment needs to be matched with construction and maintenance of high quality road surfaces. For large operations, the total cost due to poor roads may equate to in excess of $A1 million per annum. The strategies outlined in this paper provide the basis for construction and maintenance of underground mine roads to help achieve desired production targets. (author). 2 tabs., 4 figs., 7 refs.

Underground ventilation remote monitoring and control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strever, M.T.; Wallace, K.G. Jr.; McDaniel, K.H.

1995-01-01

This paper presents the design and installation of an underground ventilation remote monitoring and control system at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This facility is designed to demonstrate safe underground disposal of U.S. defense generated transuranic nuclear waste. To improve the operability of the ventilation system, an underground remote monitoring and control system was designed and installed. The system consists of 15 air velocity sensors and 8 differential pressure sensors strategically located throughout the underground facility providing real-time data regarding the status of the ventilation system. In addition, a control system was installed on the main underground air regulators. The regulator control system gives indication of the regulator position and can be controlled either locally or remotely. The sensor output is displayed locally and at a central surface location through the site-wide Central Monitoring System (CMS). The CMS operator can review all sensor data and can remotely operate the main underground regulators. Furthermore, the Virtual Address Extension (VAX) network allows the ventilation engineer to retrieve real-time ventilation data on his personal computer located in his workstation. This paper describes the types of sensors selected, the installation of the instrumentation, and the initial operation of the remote monitoring system

Effects of seawater components on radiolysis of water at elevated temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wada, Yoichi; Tachibana, Masahiko; Ishida, Kazushige; Ota, Nobuyuki; Shigenaka, Naoto; Inagaki, Hiromitsu; Noda, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

Effects of seawater components on radiolysis of water at elevated temperature have been studied with a radiolysis model in order to evaluate influence on integrity of materials used in an ABWR. In 2011, seawater flowed into a wide part of the nuclear power plant system of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Reactor No. 5 owned by Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. after condenser tubes broke during the plant shutdown operation. The reactor water temperature was 250°C and its maximum Cl − concentration was ca. 450 ppm when seawater was mixed with reactor water. In order to clarify effects of the sea water components on radiolysis of water at elevated temperature, a radiolysis model calculation was conducted with Hitachi's radiolysis analysis code 'SIMFONY'. For the calculation, the temperature range was set from 50 to 250°C with 50°C increments and the gamma dose rate was set at 60 Gys −1 to see the effect of gamma irradiation from fuels under shutdown conditions. Concentrations of radiolytic species were calculated for 10 5 s. Dilution ratio of seawater was changed to see the effects of concentration of seawater components. Reaction rate constants of the Cl − , Br − , HCO 3 − , and SO 4 2− systems were considered. The main radiolytic species were predicted to be hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide of low concentration was produced in seawater-mixed water at elevated temperatures. Compared with these main products, concentrations of radiolytic products originating from chloride ion and other seawater components were found to be rather low. The dominant product among them was ClO 3 − and its concentration was found to be below 0.01ppm at 10 5 s. Then, during the plant shutdown operation, the harmful influence from radiolytic species originating from seawater components on integrity of fuel materials must be smaller than that of chloride ion which is the main ionic species in seawater. (author)

Age of underground waters: isotopes contribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chery, L.; Olive, Ph.

2006-01-01

Does water has an age? The age of underground waters can be the duration of their underground travel between their infiltration inside the ground and their captation at a spring or a drilled well. The isotopic geochemistry comes to the support of classical geochemistry to estimate these residence times. Radio-isotopes, like tritium for young waters or carbon 14 for old waters, are used as chronometers to interpret the recharge ways, the flow mechanisms and the residence times of underground waters. Their use is presented in this article with some theoretical recalls and some examples of application. (J.S.)

Sustainable and safe energy supply with seawater uranium fueled HTGR and its economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukaya, Y.; Goto, M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • We discussed uranium resources with an energy security perspective. • We concluded seawater uranium is preferable for sustainability and energy security. • We evaluated electricity generation cost of seawater uranium fueled HTGR. • We concluded electricity generation with seawater uranium is reasonable. - Abstract: Sustainable and safe energy supply with High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) fueled by uranium from seawater have been investigated and discussed. From the view point of safety feature of self-regulation with thermal reactor of HTGR, the uranium resources should be inexhaustible. The seawater uranium is expected to be alternative resources to conventional resources because it exists so much in seawater as a solute. It is said that 4.5 billion tons of uranium is dissolved in the seawater, which corresponds to a consumption of approximately 72 thousand years. Moreover, a thousand times of the amount of 4.5 trillion tU of uranium, which corresponds to the consumption of 72 million years, also is included in the rock on the surface of the sea floor, and that is also recoverable as seawater uranium because uranium in seawater is in an equilibrium state with that. In other words, the uranium from seawater is almost inexhaustible natural resource. However, the recovery cost with current technology is still expensive compared with that of conventional uranium. Then, we assessed the effect of increase in uranium purchase cost on the entire electricity generation cost. In this study, the economy of electricity generation of cost of a commercial HTGR was evaluated with conventional uranium and seawater uranium. Compared with ordinary LWR using conventional uranium, HTGR can generate electricity cheaply because of small volume of simple direct gas turbine system compared with water and steam systems of LWR, rationalization by modularizing, and high thermal efficiency, even if fueled by seawater uranium. It is concluded that the HTGR

[The Research Advancement and Conception of the Deep-underground Medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, He-Ping; Liu, Ji-Feng; Gao, Ming-Zhong; Wan, Xue-Hong; Liu, Shi-Xi; Zou, Jian; Wu, Jiang; Ma, Teng-Fei; Liu, Yi-Lin; Bu, Hong; Li, Wei-Min

2018-03-01

The 21th century is the century of exploring and utilizing the underground space. In the future, more and more people will spend more and more time living or/and working in the underground space. However,we know little about the effect on the health of human caused by the underground environment. Herein,we systematically put forward the strategic conception of the deep-underground medicine,in order to reveal relative effects and mechanism of the potential factors in the deep underground space on human's physiological and psychological healthy,and to work out the corresponding countermeasures. The original deep-underground medicine includes the following items. ①To model different depth of underground environment according to various parameters (such as temperature,radiation,air pressure, rock,microorganism), and to explore their quantitative character and effects on human health and mechanism. ② To study the psychological change, maintenance of homeostasis and biothythm of organism in the deep underground space. ③ To learn the association between psychological healthy of human and the depth, structure, physical environment and working time of underground space. ④ To investigate the effect of different terrane and lithology on healthy of human and to deliberate their contribution on organism growth. ⑤ To research the character and their mechanism of growth,metabolism,exchange of energy,response of growth, aging and adaptation of cells living in deep underground space. ⑥ To explore the physiological feature,growth of microbiome and it's interaction with host in the deep underground space. ⑦ To develop deep-underground simulation space, the biologically medical technology and equipments. As a research basis,a deep-underground medical lab under a rock thickness of about 1 470 m has been built,which aims to operate the research of the effect on living organism caused by different depth of underground environment. Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal

Review of underground siting of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-01-01

A review of the potential for the underground siting of nuclear power generating plants has been undertaken. The review comprised a survey and assessment of relevant published documents currently available, together with discussions with Government sponsored agencies and other bodies, to evaluate the current status of technology related to the design and construction of underground nuclear power plants. It includes a review of previous work related to the underground siting of power plants and other facilities; a preliminary evaluation of the relative merits of the various concepts of undergrounding which have been proposed or constructed; a review of current technology as it relates to the requirements for the design, construction and operation of underground nuclear power plants; an examination of the safety and environmental aspects; and the identification of areas of further study which will be required if the underground is to be established as a fully viable alternative to surface siting. No attempt has been made to draw final conclusions at this stage. Nothing has been found to suggest that the underground siting concept could not provide a viable alternative to the surface concept. It is also apparent that no major technological developments are required. It is not clear, however, whether the improvements in safety and containment postulated for the underground can be realized at an economic cost; or even whether any additional cost is in fact involved. The problem is essentially site dependent and requires further study for which recommendations are made. (auth)

30 CFR 57.4761 - Underground shops.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Fire Prevention and... toxic gases from a fire originating in an underground shop where maintenance work is routinely done on...

Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory project investigation program for the 2007 fiscal year (Translated document)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, Hiroya; Nakayama, Masashi; Sanada, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Takehiro

2008-09-01

As past of the research and development program on the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the Horonobe Underground Research Center, a division of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), is implementing the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project (Horonobe URL Project) with the aim at investigating sedimentary rock formations. According to the research plan described in the Midterm Plan of JAEA, geological investigations are to be carried out during the drilling of a shaft down to intermediate depth, while research and development in the areas of engineering technology and safety assessment are to be promoted by collaboration with other research organizations. The results of the R and D activities will be systematized as a 'knowledge base' that supports a wide range of arguments related to the safety of geological disposal. The Horonobe URL Project is planned to extend over a period of 20 years. The investigations will be conducted in three phases, namely 'Phase 1: Surface-based investigations', 'Phase 2: Construction phase' (investigations during construction of the underground facilities) and 'Phase 3: Operation phase' (research in the underground facilities). This report summarizes the investigation program for the 2007 fiscal year (2007/2008), the third year of the Phase 2 investigations. In the 2007 fiscal year, investigations in geoscientific research', including 'development of techniques for investigating the geological environment', 'development of techniques for use in the deep underground environment' and 'studies on the long-term stability of the geological environment', is continuously carried out. Investigations in 'research and development on geological disposal technology', including improving the reliability of disposal technologies' and 'enhancement of safety assessment methodologies' are also continuously carried out. Construction of the underground facilities is ongoing at the Ventilation Shaft and the East Shaft

Biodegradation of phenanthrene in artificial seawater by using free ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

and related aromatic compounds. This paper reports the domestication of strain Sphingomonas sp. GY2B in artificial seawater (AS) and the immobilization of the strain onto rice straw. Results showed that adding 85% artificial seawater had very low impact on the growth and phenanthrene degradation ability of strain GY2B ...

Substrate Use of Pseudovibrio sp. Growing in Ultra-Oligotrophic Seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Schwedt, Anne; Seidel, Michael; Dittmar, Thorsten; Simon, Meinhard; Bondarev, Vladimir; Romano, Stefano; Lavik, Gaute; Schulz-Vogt, Heide N.

2015-01-01

Marine planktonic bacteria often live in habitats with extremely low concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM). To study the use of trace amounts of DOM by the facultatively oligotrophic Pseudovibrio sp. FO-BEG1, we investigated the composition of artificial and natural seawater before and after growth. We determined the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), free and hydrolysable amino acids, and the molecular composition of DOM by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR-MS). The DOC concentration of the artificial seawater we used for cultivation was 4.4 μmol C L-1, which was eight times lower compared to the natural oligotrophic seawater we used for parallel experiments (36 μmol C L -1). During the three-week duration of the experiment, cell numbers increased from 40 cells mL-1 to 2x104 cells mL -1 in artificial and to 3x105 cells mL -1 in natural seawater. No nitrogen fixation and minor CO2 fixation (seawater, using unexpected organic compounds to fuel their energy, carbon and nitrogen requirements. PMID:25826215

Impediment to Symbiosis Establishment between Giant Clams and Symbiodinium Algae Due to Sterilization of Seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Kurihara, Takeo; Yamada, Hideaki; Inoue, Ken; Iwai, Kenji; Hatta, Masayuki

2013-01-01

To survive the juvenile stage, giant clam juveniles need to establish a symbiotic relationship with the microalgae Symbiodinium occurring in the environment. The percentage of giant clam juveniles succeeding in symbiosis establishment (“symbiosis rate”) is often low, which is problematic for seed producers. We investigated how and why symbiosis rates vary, depending on whether giant clam seeds are continuously reared in UV treated or non treated seawater. Results repeatedly demonstrated that symbiosis rates were lower for UV treated seawater than for non treated seawater. Symbiosis rates were also lower for autoclaved seawater and 0.2-µm filtered seawater than for non treated seawater. The decreased symbiosis rates in various sterilized seawater suggest the possibility that some factors helping symbiosis establishment in natural seawater are weakened owing to sterilization. The possible factors include vitality of giant clam seeds, since additional experiments revealed that survival rates of seeds reared alone without Symbiodinium were lower in sterilized seawater than in non treated seawater. In conclusion, UV treatment of seawater was found to lead to decreased symbiosis rates, which is due possibly to some adverse effects common to the various sterilization techniques and relates to the vitality of the giant clam seeds. PMID:23613802

Effects of copper and titanium on the corrosion behavior of newly fabricated nanocrystalline aluminum in natural seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherif, El-Sayed M.; Ammar, Hany Rizk; Khalil, Khalil Abdelrazek

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We fabricated nanocrystalline Al and some of its alloys by mechanical alloying method. • The corrosion behavior of the fabricated materials in natural seawater was reported. • We found that Al suffers both uniform and localized corrosion in the seawater. • The presence of Cu significantly decreased the corrosion of Al. • The addition of Ti to the Al–Cu alloy presented more protection to Al against corrosion. - Abstract: Fabrication of a newly nanocrystalline Al and two of its alloys, namely Al–10%Cu; and Al–10%Cu–5%Ti has been carried out using mechanical alloying (MA) technique. The corrosion behavior of these materials in aerated stagnant Arabian Gulf seawater (AGSW) at room temperature has been reported. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), chronoamperometric current-time (CCT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive (EDX) investigations were employed to report the corrosion behavior of the fabricated materials. All results indicated that Al suffers both uniform and localized corrosion in the AGSW test solution. The presence of 10%Cu decreases the corrosion current density, the anodic and cathodic currents and corrosion rate and increases the corrosion resistance of Al. The addition of 5%Ti to the Al–10%Cu alloy produced further decreases in the corrosion parameters. Measurements together confirmed that the corrosion of the fabricated materials in AGSW decreases in the order Al > Al–10%Cu > Al–10%Cu–5%Ti

Effects of copper and titanium on the corrosion behavior of newly fabricated nanocrystalline aluminum in natural seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherif, El-Sayed M., E-mail: esherif@ksu.edu.sa [Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Al-Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Electrochemistry and Corrosion Laboratory, Department of Physical Chemistry, National Research Centre , (NRC), Dokki, 12622, Cairo 8 (Egypt); Ammar, Hany Rizk [Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez (Egypt); Khalil, Khalil Abdelrazek [Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez (Egypt); Mechanical Design and Materials Department, Faculty of Energy Engineering, Aswan University, Aswan (Egypt)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We fabricated nanocrystalline Al and some of its alloys by mechanical alloying method. • The corrosion behavior of the fabricated materials in natural seawater was reported. • We found that Al suffers both uniform and localized corrosion in the seawater. • The presence of Cu significantly decreased the corrosion of Al. • The addition of Ti to the Al–Cu alloy presented more protection to Al against corrosion. - Abstract: Fabrication of a newly nanocrystalline Al and two of its alloys, namely Al–10%Cu; and Al–10%Cu–5%Ti has been carried out using mechanical alloying (MA) technique. The corrosion behavior of these materials in aerated stagnant Arabian Gulf seawater (AGSW) at room temperature has been reported. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), chronoamperometric current-time (CCT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive (EDX) investigations were employed to report the corrosion behavior of the fabricated materials. All results indicated that Al suffers both uniform and localized corrosion in the AGSW test solution. The presence of 10%Cu decreases the corrosion current density, the anodic and cathodic currents and corrosion rate and increases the corrosion resistance of Al. The addition of 5%Ti to the Al–10%Cu alloy produced further decreases in the corrosion parameters. Measurements together confirmed that the corrosion of the fabricated materials in AGSW decreases in the order Al > Al–10%Cu > Al–10%Cu–5%Ti.

The density-salinity relation of standard seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Hannes; Seitz, Steffen; Hassel, Egon; Wolf, Henning

2018-01-01

The determination of salinity by means of electrical conductivity relies on stable salt proportions in the North Atlantic Ocean, because standard seawater, which is required for salinometer calibration, is produced from water of the North Atlantic. To verify the long-term stability of the standard seawater composition, it was proposed to perform measurements of the standard seawater density. Since the density is sensitive to all salt components, a density measurement can detect any change in the composition. A conversion of the density values to salinity can be performed by means of a density-salinity relation. To use such a relation with a target uncertainty in salinity comparable to that in salinity obtained from conductivity measurements, a density measurement with an uncertainty of 2 g m-3 is mandatory. We present a new density-salinity relation based on such accurate density measurements. The substitution measurement method used is described and density corrections for uniform isotopic and chemical compositions are reported. The comparison of densities calculated using the new relation with those calculated using the present reference equations of state TEOS-10 suggests that the density accuracy of TEOS-10 (as well as that of EOS-80) has been overestimated, as the accuracy of some of its underlying density measurements had been overestimated. The new density-salinity relation may be used to verify the stable composition of standard seawater by means of routine density measurements.

Deeper underground

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brearley, D. [Pantek Ltd. (United Kingdom)

2005-12-01

The paper describes how efficient data gathering has led to production and uptime improvements in UK Coal's Daw Mill colliery in Warwickshire. Software called FactorySuite A{sup 2} from Wonderware is being used to control and monitor all underground production and conveying. 3 photos.

Methane-oxidizing seawater microbial communities from an Arctic shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Uhlig, Christiane; Kirkpatrick, John B.; D'Hondt, Steven; Loose, Brice

2018-06-01

Marine microbial communities can consume dissolved methane before it can escape to the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Seawater over the shallow Arctic shelf is characterized by excess methane compared to atmospheric equilibrium. This methane originates in sediment, permafrost, and hydrate. Particularly high concentrations are found beneath sea ice. We studied the structure and methane oxidation potential of the microbial communities from seawater collected close to Utqiagvik, Alaska, in April 2016. The in situ methane concentrations were 16.3 ± 7.2 nmol L-1, approximately 4.8 times oversaturated relative to atmospheric equilibrium. The group of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in the natural seawater and incubated seawater was > 97 % dominated by Methylococcales (γ-Proteobacteria). Incubations of seawater under a range of methane concentrations led to loss of diversity in the bacterial community. The abundance of MOB was low with maximal fractions of 2.5 % at 200 times elevated methane concentration, while sequence reads of non-MOB methylotrophs were 4 times more abundant than MOB in most incubations. The abundances of MOB as well as non-MOB methylotroph sequences correlated tightly with the rate constant (kox) for methane oxidation, indicating that non-MOB methylotrophs might be coupled to MOB and involved in community methane oxidation. In sea ice, where methane concentrations of 82 ± 35.8 nmol kg-1 were found, Methylobacterium (α-Proteobacteria) was the dominant MOB with a relative abundance of 80 %. Total MOB abundances were very low in sea ice, with maximal fractions found at the ice-snow interface (0.1 %), while non-MOB methylotrophs were present in abundances similar to natural seawater communities. The dissimilarities in MOB taxa, methane concentrations, and stable isotope ratios between the sea ice and water column point toward different methane dynamics in the two environments.

Dynamic Bubble Surface Tension Measurements in Northwest Atlantic Seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Kieber, D. J.; Long, M. S.; Keene, W. C.; Kinsey, J. D.; Frossard, A. A.; Beaupre, S. R.; Duplessis, P.; Maben, J. R.; Lu, X.; Chang, R.; Zhu, Y.; Bisgrove, J.

2017-12-01

Numerous reports suggest that most organic matter (OM) associated with newly formed primary marine aerosol (PMA) originates from the sea-surface microlayer. However, surface-active OM rapidly adsorbs onto bubble surfaces in the water column and is ejected into the atmosphere when bubbles burst at the air-water interface. Here we present dynamic surface tension measurements of bubbles produced in near surface seawater from biologically productive and oligotrophic sites and in deep seawater collected from 2500 m in the northwest Atlantic. In all cases, the surface tension of bubble surfaces decreased within seconds after the bubbles were exposed to seawater. These observations demonstrate that bubble surfaces are rapidly saturated by surfactant material scavenged from seawater. Spatial and diel variability in bubble surface evolution indicate corresponding variability in surfactant concentrations and/or composition. Our results reveal that surface-active OM is found throughout the water column, and that at least some surfactants are not of recent biological origin. Our results also support the hypothesis that the surface microlayer is a minor to negligible source of OM associated with freshly produced PMA.

Freeze desalination of seawater using LNG cold energy

KAUST Repository

Chang, Jian; Zuo, Jian; Lu, Kang-Jia; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2016-01-01

With the aid of cold energy from regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), freeze desalination (FD) is an emerging technology for seawater desalination because of its low energy characteristics and insensitivities to fouling problems. This work aims to investigate the major operating parameters of FD such as coolant temperature, freezing duration, supercooling, seeding, agitation, crystallizer material and subsequent washing procedure on ice production and water quality. It was found that the optimal freezing duration per batch was 1 h for an iron crystallizer and 1.5 h for a glass crystallizer. The optimal coolant temperature should be around −8 °C. The optimal amount of washing water to clean the raw ice was about 50 wt% of the raw ice. Over 50 wt% of the feed could be recovered as raw ice within 1 h, which means an overall ice recovery rate of higher than 25% (of the original seawater), considering the consumption of washing water. Both artificial and real seawater were tested under the optimized conditions. The total dissolved solid in the product ice was around 300 ppm, which met the World Health Organization (WHO) potable water salinity standard of 500 ppm. Therefore, the process parameters optimized in this study can be directly used for the freeze desalination of seawater.

Freeze desalination of seawater using LNG cold energy

KAUST Repository

Chang, Jian

2016-06-23

With the aid of cold energy from regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), freeze desalination (FD) is an emerging technology for seawater desalination because of its low energy characteristics and insensitivities to fouling problems. This work aims to investigate the major operating parameters of FD such as coolant temperature, freezing duration, supercooling, seeding, agitation, crystallizer material and subsequent washing procedure on ice production and water quality. It was found that the optimal freezing duration per batch was 1 h for an iron crystallizer and 1.5 h for a glass crystallizer. The optimal coolant temperature should be around −8 °C. The optimal amount of washing water to clean the raw ice was about 50 wt% of the raw ice. Over 50 wt% of the feed could be recovered as raw ice within 1 h, which means an overall ice recovery rate of higher than 25% (of the original seawater), considering the consumption of washing water. Both artificial and real seawater were tested under the optimized conditions. The total dissolved solid in the product ice was around 300 ppm, which met the World Health Organization (WHO) potable water salinity standard of 500 ppm. Therefore, the process parameters optimized in this study can be directly used for the freeze desalination of seawater.

Underground science initiatives at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmons, L.M. Jr.

1985-01-01

Recently, the Los Alamos National Laboratory has proposed two major new initiatives in underground science. Following the dissolution of the original gallium solar neutrino collaboration, Los Alamos has formed a new North American collaboration. We briefly review the rationale for solar neutrino research, outline the proposal and new Monte Carlo simulations, and describe the candidate locations for the experiment. Because there is no dedicated deep underground site in North America suitable for a wide range of experiments, Los Alamos has conducted a survey of possible sites and developed a proposal to create a new National Underground Science Facility. This paper also reviews that proposal

Extraction of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen from Seawater and Hydrocarbon Production Therefrom

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-05

acidification of seawater by subjecting the seawater to an ion exchange reaction to exchange H.sup. ions for Na.sup. ions. Carbon dioxide may be...extracted from the acidified seawater. Optionally, the ion exchange reaction can be conducted under conditions which produce hydrogen as well as carbon dioxide . The carbon dioxide and hydrogen may be used to produce hydrocarbons.

Modelling of a transmembrane evaporation module for desalination of seawater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guijt, C.M.; Racz, I.G.; van Heuven, Jan Willem; Reith, T.; de Haan, A.B.

1999-01-01

Transmembrane evaporation (often called membrane distillation) carried out in a countercurrent flow module, in which incoming cold seawater is heated by the condensing product water flow, is a promising technology for low-cost seawater desalination. This paper presents a model for preliminary design

Recovery of uranium from sea-water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llewelyn, G.I.W.

1976-01-01

The possibility of extraction of uranium from sea-water on a sufficiently large scale to contribute significantly to national UK requirements is placed in perspective. It seems unlikely that there are sites around the UK coast where this could be achieved, and insufficient work has been done to be confident that sites exist anywhere to enable uranium extraction to be carried out on a large scale. Process techniques have been developed on a small scale, but extensive further research work would be necessary to reduce appreciably the present uncertainties. It would be unwise to expect uranium from sea-water to contribute significant amounts to the world's uranium demand for thermal reactors on an acceptable timescale. (author)

Effect of Groundwater Pumping on Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.M. Sherif

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Many aquifers around the globe are located in coastal areas and are thus subjected to the seawater intrusion phenomenon. The growth of population in coastal areas and the conjugate increase in human, agricultural, and industrial activities have imposed an increasing demand for freshwater. This increase in water demand is often covered by extensive pumping of fresh groundwater, causing subsequent lowering of the water table (or piezometric head and upsetting the dynamic balance between freshwater and saline water bodies. The classical result of such a development is seawater intrusion. This paper presents a review for the seawater intrusion phenomenon in coastal aquifers. The effect of pumping activities on the seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer of Egypt is investigated. It was concluded that any additional pumping should be located in the middle Delta and avoided in the eastern and western sides of the Delta.

Transmission line undergrounding : rate impact investigation and analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

In response to concerns expressed by the residents of Markham, Ontario regarding the possible environmental and health impacts of a proposed 230 kV overhead transmission line, Hydro One Networks Inc. (HONI) has proposed to place the line underground as an alternative. This analysis was prepared to evaluate the potential impacts on transmission rates and consumer prices related to changes in the level of underground construction of transmission lines by HONI, as opposed to overhead construction. The report presents the approach to data collection; cost estimates and projections; the modeling and projecting of HONI's regulated rate base and revenue requirement on a basis that reflects the manner in which its future transmission rates are expected to be established; estimates of the incremental cost of undergrounding reflecting a range of reasonable assumptions; and a comparison of the resulting transmission costs and total customer bill. To address the issue of potential demand in other municipalities for additional undergrounding, the study also examined the cumulative effects of ten years' incremental undergrounding costs (i.e. effects on 2014 rates). It was concluded that if HONI were to implement an undergrounding program beginning in 2005, resulting in the installation of 80 km of underground lines by 2014, and shared costs by all users of HONI's system through the network transmission charges, the 2014 transmission rates would be higher. 5 tabs

UNDERGROUND ECONOMY, INFLUENCES ON NATIONAL ECONOMIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CEAUȘESCU IONUT

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of research is to improve the understanding of nature underground economy by rational justification of the right to be enshrined a reality that, at least statistically, can no longer be neglected. So, we propose to find the answer to the question: has underground economy to stand-alone?

Seawater calcium isotope ratios across the Eocene-Oligocene transition

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, E.M.; Paytan, A.; Eisenhauer, A.; Bullen, T.D.; Thomas, E.

2011-01-01

During the Eocene-Oligocene transition (EOT, ca. 34 Ma), Earth's climate cooled significantly from a greenhouse to an icehouse climate, while the calcite (CaCO3) compensation depth (CCD) in the Pacific Ocean increased rapidly. Fluctuations in the CCD could result from various processes that create an imbalance between calcium (Ca) sources to, and sinks from, the ocean (e.g., weathering and CaCO3 deposition), with different effects on the isotopic composition of dissolved Ca in the oceans due to differences in the Ca isotopic composition of various inputs and outputs. We used Ca isotope ratios (??44/40Ca) of coeval pelagic marine barite and bulk carbonate to evaluate changes in the marine Ca cycle across the EOT. We show that the permanent deepening of the CCD was not accompanied by a pronounced change in seawater ??44/40Ca, whereas time intervals in the Neogene with smaller carbonate depositional changes are characterized by seawater ??44/40Ca shifts. This suggests that the response of seawater ??44/40Ca to changes in weathering fluxes and to imbalances in the oceanic alkalinity budget depends on the chemical composition of seawater. A minor and transient fluctuation in the Ca isotope ratio of bulk carbonate may reflect a change in isotopic fractionation associated with CaCO3 precipitation from seawater due to a combination of factors, including changes in temperature and/or in the assemblages of calcifying organisms. ?? 2011 Geological Society of America.

Corrosion in seawater systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henrikson, S.

1988-01-01

Highly alloyed stainless steels have been exposed to natural chlorinated and chlorine-free seawater at 35 deg. C. Simulated tube-tubesheet joints, weld joints and galvanic couples with titanium, 90/10 CuNi and NiAl bronze were tested and evaluated for corrosion. The corrosion rates of various anode materials - zinc, aluminium and soft iron - were also determined. Finally the risk of hydrogen embrittlement of tubes of ferritic stainless steels and titanium as a consequence of cathodic protection was studied. An attempt was also made to explain the cracking mechanism of the ferritic steels by means of transmission electron microscopy. One important conclusion of the project is that chlorinated seawater is considerably more corrosive to stainless steels than chlorine-free water, whereas chlorination reduces the rate of galvanic corrosion of copper materials coupled to stainless steels. Hydrogen embrittlement of ferritic stainless steels and titanium as a consequence of cathodic protection of carbon steel or cast iron in the same structure can be avoided by strict potentiostatic control of the applied potential. (author)

Dynamic Underground Stripping Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aines, R.; Newmark, R.; McConachie, W.; Udell, K.; Rice, D.; Ramirez, A.; Siegel, W.; Buettner, M.; Daily, W.; Krauter, P.; Folsom, E.; Boegel, A.J.; Bishop, D.; Udell, K.

1992-01-01

LLNL is collaborating with the UC Berkeley College of Engineering to develop and demonstrate a system of thermal remediation and underground imaging techniques for use in rapid cleanup of localized underground spills. Called ''Dynamic Stripping'' to reflect the rapid and controllable nature of the process, it will combine steam injection, direct electrical heating, and tomographic geophysical imaging in a cleanup of the LLNL gasoline spill. In the first 8 months of the project, a Clean Site engineering test was conducted to prove the field application of the techniques before moving the contaminated site in FY 92

Analysis in environmental radioactivity around Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Yong Woo; Han, Man Jung; Cho, Seong Won; Cho, Hong Jun; Oh, Hyeon Kyun; Lee, Jeong Min; Chang, Jae Sook [KORTIC, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2003-12-15

Twelve kinds of environmental samples such as soil, seawater, underground water, etc. around Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs) were collected. Tritium chemical analysis was tried for the samples of rain water, pine-needle, air, seawater, underground water, chinese cabbage, again of rice and milk sampled around NPPs, and surface seawater and rain water sampled over the country. Strontium in the soil that were sampled at 60 point of district in Korea were analyzed. Tritium were analyzed in 21 samples of surface seawater around the Korea peninsular that were supplied form KFRDI(National Fisheries Research and Development Institute). Sampling and chemical analysis environmental samples around Kori, Woolsung, Youngkwang, Wooljin NPPs and Taeduk science town for tritium and strontium analysis was managed according to plans. Succeed to KINS after all samples were tried.

Internal exposure to 222Rn progeny of the underground workers in Bulgarian uranian mines in 1958-1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimitrov, M.; Presiyanov, D.

1998-01-01

The results of more than 50000 measurements of 222 Rn and 22R n progeny measurements made in 1958-1989 in 9 large Bulgarian uranium mines (namely: '9 septemvri', 'Seslavci', 'Eleshnitsa 1, 2, 3', 'Smolyan', 'Byalata voda', 'Balkan' and 'Smolyanovtsi') have been summarized. The average WLM-exposures have been determined for each of the mines. The results make possible to estimate internal WLM exposure of any miner, provided that his underground working experience is known

The underground macroeconomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marin Dinu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Like Physics, which cannot yet explain 96% of the substance in the Universe, so is Economics, unprepared to understand and to offer a rational explicative model to the underground economy.

XAS and TRLIF spectroscopy of uranium and neptunium in seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Maloubier, Melody; Solari, Pier Lorenzo; Moisy, Philippe; Monfort, Marguerite; Den Auwer, Christophe; Moulin, Christophe

2015-03-28

Seawater contains radionuclides at environmental levels; some are naturally present and others come from anthropogenic nuclear activity. In this report, the molecular speciation in seawater of uranium(VI) and neptunium(V) at a concentration of 5 × 10(-5) M has been investigated for the first time using a combination of two spectroscopic techniques: Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (TRLIF) for U and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) for U and Np at the LIII edge. In parallel, the theoretical speciation of uranium and neptunium in seawater at the same concentration is also discussed and compared to spectroscopic data. The uranium complex was identified as the neutral carbonato calcic complex UO2(CO3)3Ca2, which has been previously described in other natural systems. In the case of neptunium, the complex identified is mainly a carbonato complex whose exact stoichiometry is more difficult to assess. The knowledge of the actinide molecular speciation and reactivity in seawater is of fundamental interest in the particular case of uranium recovery and more generally regarding the actinide life cycle within the biosphere in the case of accidental release. This is the first report of actinide direct speciation in seawater medium that can complement inventory data.

An exploratory study on seawater-catalysed urine phosphorus recovery (SUPR).

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Ji; Tang, Wen-Tao; Zheng, Yi-Se; Mackey, Hamish R; Chui, Ho Kwong; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Chen, Guang-Hao

2014-12-01

Phosphorus (P) is a crucial and non-renewable resource, while it is excessively discharged via sewage, significant amounts originating from human urine. Recovery of P from source-separated urine presents an opportunity not only to recover this precious resource but also to improve downstream sewage treatment works. This paper proposes a simple and economic method to recover urine derived P by using seawater as a low-cost precipitant to form struvite, as Hong Kong has practised seawater toilet flushing as an alternative water resource since 1958. Chemical reactions, process conditions and precipitate composition for P precipitation in urine have been investigated to develop this new urine P recovery approach. This study concluded that ureolysis extent in a urine-seawater mixture determines the reaction pH that in turn influences the P recovery efficiency significantly; 98% of urine P can precipitate with seawater within 10 min when 40-75% of the urea in urine is ureolysed; the urine to seawater ratio alters the composition of the precipitates. The P content in the precipitates was found to be more than 9% when the urine fraction was 40% or higher. Magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) was confirmed to be the predominant component of the precipitates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculated concentrations of any radionuclide deposited on the ground by release from underground nuclear detonations, tests of nuclear rockets, and tests of nuclear ramjet engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, H.G.

1981-11-01

This report presents calculated gamma radiation exposure rates and ground deposition of related radionuclides resulting from three types of event that deposited detectable radioactivity outside the Nevada Test Site complex, namely, underground nuclear detonations, tests of nuclear rocket engines and tests of nuclear ramjet engines

78 FR 73471 - Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-06

... Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor... Agency's Request for Information (RFI) on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. This extension...), MSHA published a Request for Information on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. The RFI...

Are underground coal miners satisfied with their work boots?

Science.gov (United States)

Dobson, Jessica A; Riddiford-Harland, Diane L; Bell, Alison F; Steele, Julie R

2018-01-01

Dissatisfaction with work boot design is common in the mining industry. Many underground coal miners believe their work boots contribute to the high incidence of lower limb injuries they experience. Despite this, the most recent research to examine underground coal mining work boot satisfaction was conducted over a decade ago. This present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by assessing current mining work boot satisfaction in relation to the work-related requirements for underground coal mining. 358 underground coal miners (355 men; mean age = 39.1 ± 10.7 years) completed a 54-question survey regarding their job details, work footwear habits, foot problems, lower limb and lower back pain history, and work footwear fit and comfort. Results revealed that underground coal miners were not satisfied with their current mining work boots. This was evident in the high incidence of reported foot problems (55.3%), lower back pain (44.5%), knee pain (21.5%), ankle pain (24.9%) and foot pain (42.3%). Over half of the underground coal miners surveyed believed their work boots contributed to their lower limb pain and reported their work boots were uncomfortable. Different working roles and environments resulted in differences in the incidence of foot problems, lower limb pain and comfort scores, confirming that one boot design cannot meet all the work-related requirements of underground coal mining. Further research examining the interaction of a variety of boot designs across the different underground surfaces and the different tasks miners perform is paramount to identify key boot design features that affect the way underground coal miners perform. Enhanced work boot design could improve worker comfort and productivity by reducing the high rates of reported foot problems and pain amongst underground coal miners. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cultivation of oleaginous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in airlift bioreactor by using seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Hong-Wei; Liao, Yu-Ting; Liu, Yi Xian

2016-02-01

The enormous water resource consumption is a concern to the scale-up fermentation process, especially for those cheap fermentation commodities, such as microbial oils as the feedstock for biodiesel production. The direct cultivation of oleaginous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in a 5-L airlift bioreactor using seawater instead of pure water led to a slightly lower biomass being achieved, at 17.2 compared to 18.1 g/L, respectively. Nevertheless, a higher lipid content of 65 ± 5% was measured in the batch using seawater as compared to the pure water batch. Both the salinity and osmotic pressure decreased as the cultivation time increased in the seawater batch, and these effects may contribute to the high tolerance for salinity. No effects were observed for the seawater on the fatty acid profiles. The major components for both batches using seawater and pure water were C16:0 (palmitic acid), C18:1 (oleic acid) and C18:2 (linoleic acid), which together accounted for over 85% of total lipids. The results of this study indicated that seawater could be a suitable option for scaling up the growth of oleaginous R. mucilaginosa, especially from the perspective of water resource utilization. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Closures for underground nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

This study demonstrates that, with the appropriate selection of an access concept on the underground nuclear power plant, it is possible to design a gate complying with the increased requirements of the construction of an underground nuclear power plant. The investigations revealed that a comparison leakage of 42 mm in diameter for the failure of seals is too conservative. When selecting suitable seals a leakage being more extensive than the above mentioned one can be prevented even in case of disturbance lasting several months. The closure structures of the personnel and material accesses do not represent any weak point within the concept of the construction method for underground nuclear power plants. (orig./HP)

Low energy neutron background in deep underground laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Best, Andreas, E-mail: andreas.best@lngs.infn.it [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), 67100 Assergi (Italy); Department of Physics and The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Görres, Joachim [Department of Physics and The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Junker, Matthias [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), 67100 Assergi (Italy); Kratz, Karl-Ludwig [Department for Biogeochemistry, Max-Planck-Institute for Chemistry, 55020 Mainz (Germany); Laubenstein, Matthias [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), 67100 Assergi (Italy); Long, Alexander [Department of Physics and The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Nisi, Stefano [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), 67100 Assergi (Italy); Smith, Karl; Wiescher, Michael [Department of Physics and The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)

2016-03-11

The natural neutron background influences the maximum achievable sensitivity in most deep underground nuclear, astroparticle and double-beta decay physics experiments. Reliable neutron flux numbers are an important ingredient in the design of the shielding of new large-scale experiments as well as in the analysis of experimental data. Using a portable setup of {sup 3}He counters we measured the thermal neutron flux at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility, the Soudan Underground Laboratory, on the 4100 ft and the 4850 ft levels of the Sanford Underground Research Facility, at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. Absolute neutron fluxes at these laboratories are presented.

Corrosion and antifouling characteristics of technetium 99 in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spitsyn, V.I.; Strekalov, P.V.; Balakhovskij, O.A.; Mikhajlovskij, Yu.N.

1982-01-01

The results are presented of studying the corrosive and antifouling properties of metallic technetium-99 in the Barents Sea and the Sea of Japan. Foil of 99 Tc glued on acrylic plastic served as a sample. High corrosion resistance and antifouling properties exhibited by 99 Tc in seawater point to favorable prospects of further studies aimed at development of new methods for protection against corrosion and fouling of metallic structures and parts with the use of technetium. The antifouling properties of technetium would evidently be used most efficiently when coating materials of high corrosion resistance to seawater (titanium, stainless steels, special alloys, etc.) with layers of technetium. The use of technetium for coating low-alloyed or carbon steels employed in seawater is yet problematic

A Global Survey of Deep Underground Facilities; Examples of Geotechnical and Engineering Capabilities, Achievements, Challenges (Mines, Shafts, Tunnels, Boreholes, Sites and Underground Facilities for Nuclear Waste and Physics R&D): A Guide to Interactive Global Map Layers, Table Database, References and Notes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tynan, Mark C.; Russell, Glenn P.; Perry, Frank V.; Kelley, Richard E.; Champenois, Sean T.

2017-01-01

These associated tables, references, notes, and report present a synthesis of some notable geotechnical and engineering information used to create four interactive layer maps for selected: 1) deep mines and shafts; 2) existing, considered or planned radioactive waste management deep underground studies or disposal facilities 3) deep large diameter boreholes, and 4) physics underground laboratories and facilities from around the world. These data are intended to facilitate user access to basic information and references regarding “deep underground” facilities, history, activities, and plans. In general, the interactive maps and database provide each facility’s approximate site location, geology, and engineered features (e.g.: access, geometry, depth, diameter, year of operations, groundwater, lithology, host unit name and age, basin; operator, management organization, geographic data, nearby cultural features, other). Although the survey is not comprehensive, it is representative of many of the significant existing and historical underground facilities discussed in the literature addressing radioactive waste management and deep mined geologic disposal safety systems. The global survey is intended to support and to inform: 1) interested parties and decision makers; 2) radioactive waste disposal and siting option evaluations, and 3) safety case development applicable to any mined geologic disposal facility as a demonstration of historical and current engineering and geotechnical capabilities available for use in deep underground facility siting, planning, construction, operations and monitoring.

A Global Survey of Deep Underground Facilities; Examples of Geotechnical and Engineering Capabilities, Achievements, Challenges (Mines, Shafts, Tunnels, Boreholes, Sites and Underground Facilities for Nuclear Waste and Physics R&D): A Guide to Interactive Global Map Layers, Table Database, References and Notes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tynan, Mark C. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Russell, Glenn P. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Perry, Frank V. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Kelley, Richard E. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Champenois, Sean T. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2017-06-13

These associated tables, references, notes, and report present a synthesis of some notable geotechnical and engineering information used to create four interactive layer maps for selected: 1) deep mines and shafts; 2) existing, considered or planned radioactive waste management deep underground studies or disposal facilities 3) deep large diameter boreholes, and 4) physics underground laboratories and facilities from around the world. These data are intended to facilitate user access to basic information and references regarding “deep underground” facilities, history, activities, and plans. In general, the interactive maps and database provide each facility’s approximate site location, geology, and engineered features (e.g.: access, geometry, depth, diameter, year of operations, groundwater, lithology, host unit name and age, basin; operator, management organization, geographic data, nearby cultural features, other). Although the survey is not comprehensive, it is representative of many of the significant existing and historical underground facilities discussed in the literature addressing radioactive waste management and deep mined geologic disposal safety systems. The global survey is intended to support and to inform: 1) interested parties and decision makers; 2) radioactive waste disposal and siting option evaluations, and 3) safety case development applicable to any mined geologic disposal facility as a demonstration of historical and current engineering and geotechnical capabilities available for use in deep underground facility siting, planning, construction, operations and monitoring.

The status quo and the prospect of extraction of resources in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, Shunsaku

1991-01-01

Sea is the natural storage, and the enormous quantity of river water which contains the large amount of ions and compositions flows into sea, accordingly it has been calculated that seawater is replaced with new water in about 4 x 10 4 years. Sea is always agitated by tidal current, therefore, the composition of seawater is nearly uniform in most sea areas. Almost all elements existing in nature are dissolved in seawater, and the state of dissolution of main elements and their concentration are shown. The total quantity of seawater is as enormous as 1.35 x 10 9 km 3 , accordingly even in the trace elements in seawater, the total dissolved amount is enormous. For Japan which lacks resources, it is the important subject to develop the technology of effectively utilizing the resources in sea. The methods of obtaining sodium chloride, magnesium, bromine and potassium, which are the main components of seawater, are briefly explained. As the extraction of trace components, gold and silver, uranium, lithium, boron, strontium, vanadium, molybdenum, yttrium and heavy water are taken up. The optimal system must be built including the development of high performance adsorbents. (K.I.)

Underground treatment of combustible minerals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarapuu, E

1954-10-14

A process is described for treating oil underground, consisting in introducing several electrodes spaced one from the other in a bed of combustibles underground so that they come in electric contact with this bed of combustibles remaining insulated from the ground, and applying to the electrodes a voltage sufficient to produce an electric current across the bed of combustibles, so as to heat it and create an electric connection between the electrodes on traversing the bed of combustibles.

30 CFR 75.811 - High-voltage underground equipment; grounding.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-voltage equipment supplying power to such equipment receiving power from resistance grounded systems shall... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-voltage underground equipment; grounding... COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground High-Voltage...

78 FR 58264 - Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-23

... Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor... Agency's Request for Information (RFI) on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. This extension... Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. The RFI comment period had been scheduled to close on October 7, 2013...

Underground characterisation and research facility ONKALO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikonen, Antti; Ylae-Mella, Mia; Aeikaes, Timo

2006-01-01

Posiva's repository for geological disposal of the spent fuel from Finnish nuclear reactors will be constructed at Olkiluoto. The selection of Olkiluoto was made based on site selection research programme conducted between 1987-2001. The next step is to carry out complementary investigations of the site and apply for the construction license for the disposal facility. The license application will be submitted in 2012. To collect detailed information of the geological environment at planned disposal depth an underground characterisation and research facility will be built at the site. This facility, named as ONKALO, will comprise a spiral access tunnel and two vertical shafts. The excavation of ONKALO is in progress and planned depth (400 m) will be reached in 2009. During the course of the excavation Posiva will conduct site characterisation activities to assess the structure and other properties of the site geology. The aim is that construction will not compromise the favourable conditions of the planned disposal depth or introduce harmful effects in the surrounding bedrock which could jeopardize the long-term safety of the geological disposal. (author)

Latent Toxicity of Endothall to Anadromous Salmonids During Seawater Challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Courter, Lauren A; Garrison, Thomas M; Courter, Ian I

2016-05-01

Limited evidence exists on the latent effects of toxicant exposure on the seawater adaptability of anadromous salmon and steelhead. It is unclear whether such an effect exists for the widely used and relatively non-toxic herbicide endothall. Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (coho), Chinook salmon, O. tshawytscha (Chinook), and anadromous rainbow trout, O. mykiss (steelhead) were subjected to a 10-day seawater challenge following freshwater treatments [0-12 mg acid equivalent (a.e)./L at 96 h]. Mean survival resulted in 82 % (n = 225), 84 % (n = 133), 90 % (n = 73) and 59 % (n = 147) survival for 0, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 mg a.e./L, respectively. Our results indicate a lower toxicity threshold compared with previously reported acute toxicity results, but higher compared with previous seawater challenge studies. We demonstrate the utility of the seawater challenge assay to accurately define toxic effects of pesticides on salmonids with complex life-histories.

Chemical Characteristics of Seawater and Sediment in the Yap Trench

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, H.; Sun, C.; Yang, G.

2017-12-01

In June 2016, seawater samples at sediment-seawater interface and sediment samples were collected by the he Jiaolong, China's manned submersible, at four sampling sites located in the Yap Trench. Seawater samples from different depths of the trench were also collected by CTD. Chemical parameters, including pH, alkanility, concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved and total organic carbon, methane, dimethylsulfoniopropionate, nutrients, carbohydrates, and amino acids were analyzed in the seawater samples. Concentrations of total organic carbon, six constant elements and nine trace elements were determined in the sediment samples. All the vertical profiles of the chemical parameters in the seawater have unique characteristics. Our resluts also showed that the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) was between 4500 m and 5000 m in the trench. The hadal sediment at 6500 m depth under the CCD line was siliceous ooze favored for the burial of orgaic carbon, attributed to accumulation of surface sediment by gravity flow. The abyssal sediment at the 4500 m depth was calcareous ooze. Various microfossils, such as discoasters and diatoms, were identified in different sediment layers of the sediment samples.Based on the ratios of Fe/Al and Ti/Al, and the correlation between different elements, the sediment in the Yap Trench were derived from biogenic, terrestrial, volcanic and autogenic sources. The ratios of Ni/Co and V/Cr showed that the deposition environment of the trench should be oxidative, arributed to inflow of the Antractic bottom oxygen-rich seawater.The high concentraiont of Ca in the sediment from the station 371-Yap-S02 below 4 cm depth indicated that there was no large-scale volcanic eruption in the research area and the volcanic materials in the sediment might orginated from the Mariana Volcanic Arc, and the Carolyn Ridge has been slowly sinking on the east side of the trench due to plate subduction. This study is the first systematic study of

State-of-art report on the seawater desalination process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Young Dong; Kim, Young In; Lee, Doo Jung; Chang, Moon Hee

2000-11-01

Desalination technologies have been developed over the last 40 years and become a reliable industrial process for water production from sea or blackish water. At present, various desalination processes are available for the effective use of seawater or blackish water as valuable water resources. Since a large amount of energy is required for seawater desalination, the cost of energy is important for desalination. For the regions of severe water shortage, however, desalination is the most economical way of water supply compare to any other alternatives. Currently, water supply by seawater desalination is being increased in the areas of the Caribbean, North African and Middle East. Also, desalination of blackish water is being increased in the south-east region of USA. In general, the distillation process and the membrane technology are used for seawater esalination and the membrane and the electric-dialysis for blackish water. However, the selection of the desalination process is highly dependent on the use of produced water and the local environmental conditions where the desalination plant installed. The local condition is the most important parameters for the selection of the desalination process

Removal of trihalomethane from chlorinated seawater using gamma radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamohan, R; Natesan, Usha; Venugopalan, V P; Rajesh, Puspalata; Rangarajan, S

2015-12-01

Chlorine addition as a biocide in seawater results in the formation of chlorination by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs). Removal of THMs is of importance as they are potential mutagenic and carcinogenic agents. In this context, a study was conducted that used ionizing radiation to remove THMs from chlorinated (1, 3, and 5 mg/L) seawater by applying various dosages (0.4-5.0 kGy) of gamma radiation. Bromoform (BF) showed a faster rate of degradation as compared to other halocarbons such as bromodichloromethane (BDCM) and dibromochloromethane (DBCM). In chlorine-dosed seawater, total irradiation dose of 0.4 to 5 kGy caused percentage reduction in the range of 6.9 to 76.7%, 2.3 to 99.6%, and 45.7 to 98.3% for BDCM, DBCM, and BF, respectively. During the irradiation process, pH of the chlorinated seawater decreased with increase in the absorbed dose; however, no change in total organic carbon (TOC) was observed. The results show that gamma dose of 2.5 kGy was adequate for maximum degradation of THM; but for complete mineralization, higher dose would be required.

State-of-art report on the seawater desalination process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Young Dong; Kim, Young In; Lee, Doo Jung; Chang, Moon Hee

2000-11-01

Desalination technologies have been developed over the last 40 years and become a reliable industrial process for water production from sea or blackish water. At present, various desalination processes are available for the effective use of seawater or blackish water as valuable water resources. Since a large amount of energy is required for seawater desalination, the cost of energy is important for desalination. For the regions of severe water shortage, however, desalination is the most economical way of water supply compare to any other alternatives. Currently, water supply by seawater desalination is being increased in the areas of the Caribbean, North African and Middle East. Also, desalination of blackish water is being increased in the south-east region of USA. In general, the distillation process and the membrane technology are used for seawater esalination and the membrane and the electric-dialysis for blackish water. However, the selection of the desalination process is highly dependent on the use of produced water and the local environmental conditions where the desalination plant installed. The local condition is the most important parameters for the selection of the desalination process.

High Temperature Superconducting Underground Cable

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrell, Roger A.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this Project was to design, build, install and demonstrate the technical feasibility of an underground high temperature superconducting (HTS) power cable installed between two utility substations. In the first phase two HTS cables, 320 m and 30 m in length, were constructed using 1st generation BSCCO wire. The two 34.5 kV, 800 Arms, 48 MVA sections were connected together using a superconducting joint in an underground vault. In the second phase the 30 m BSCCO cable was replaced by one constructed with 2nd generation YBCO wire. 2nd generation wire is needed for commercialization because of inherent cost and performance benefits. Primary objectives of the Project were to build and operate an HTS cable system which demonstrates significant progress towards commercial progress and addresses real world utility concerns such as installation, maintenance, reliability and compatibility with the existing grid. Four key technical areas addressed were the HTS cable and terminations (where the cable connects to the grid), cryogenic refrigeration system, underground cable-to-cable joint (needed for replacement of cable sections) and cost-effective 2nd generation HTS wire. This was the worlds first installation and operation of an HTS cable underground, between two utility substations as well as the first to demonstrate a cable-to-cable joint, remote monitoring system and 2nd generation HTS.

Underground nuclear power station using self-regulating heat-pipe controlled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hampel, V.E.

1989-01-01

The author presents a nuclear reactor for generating electricity disposed underground at the bottom of a vertical hole that can be drilled using conventional drilling technology. The primary coolant of the reactor core is the working fluid in a plurality of thermodynamically coupled heat pipes emplaced in the hole between the heat source at the bottom of the hole and heat exchange means near the surface of the earth. Additionally, the primary coolant (consisting of the working fluid in the heat pipes in the reactor core) moderates neutrons and regulates their reactivity, thus keeping the power of the reactor substantially constant. At the end of its useful life, the reactor core may be abandoned in place. Isolation from the atmosphere in case of accident or for abandonment is provided by the operation of explosive closures and mechanical valves emplaced along the hole. This invention combines technology developed and tested for small, highly efficient, space-based nuclear electric power plants with the technology of fast-acting closure mechanisms developed and used for underground testing of nuclear weapons. This invention provides a nuclear power installation which is safe from the worst conceivable reactor accident, namely, the explosion of a nuclear weapon near the ground surface of a nuclear power reactor

Underground nuclear power station using self-regulating heat-pipe controlled reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Hampel, Viktor E.

1989-01-01

A nuclear reactor for generating electricity is disposed underground at the bottom of a vertical hole that can be drilled using conventional drilling technology. The primary coolant of the reactor core is the working fluid in a plurality of thermodynamically coupled heat pipes emplaced in the hole between the heat source at the bottom of the hole and heat exchange means near the surface of the earth. Additionally, the primary coolant (consisting of the working flud in the heat pipes in the reactor core) moderates neutrons and regulates their reactivity, thus keeping the power of the reactor substantially constant. At the end of its useful life, the reactor core may be abandoned in place. Isolation from the atmosphere in case of accident or for abandonment is provided by the operation of explosive closures and mechanical valves emplaced along the hole. This invention combines technology developed and tested for small, highly efficient, space-based nuclear electric power plants with the technology of fast-acting closure mechanisms developed and used for underground testing of nuclear weapons. This invention provides a nuclear power installation which is safe from the worst conceivable reactor accident, namely, the explosion of a nuclear weapon near the ground surface of a nuclear power reactor.

Rapid determination of total phenols in seawater by 4-aminoantipyrine colorimetry

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kadam, A.N.; Bhangale, V.P.

A rapid and efficient 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AAP) colorimetric method without any cleanup step to determine total phenols in seawater is described. Efficiency of the method for seawater using external addition of phenol concentrations with working...

Decomposition of dilute residual active chlorine in sea-water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshinaga, Tetsutaro; Kawano, Kentaro; Yanagase, Kenjiro; Shiga, Akira

1985-01-01

Coastal industries such as power stations require enormous quantities of sea-water for cooling, but the marine organisms in it often result in fouling and/or blockade of the circulating water condenser and pipeworks. To prevent this, chlorine, or hypochlorite by the direct electrolysis of sea-water have been added. Environmental concerns, however, dictate that the residual chlorine concentration at the outlet should be less than the regulated value (0.02 ppm). Methods for decomposing dilute residual chlorine solutions were therefore studied. It was found that: 1) The addition of (raw) sea-water to the sea-water which passed through the condenser lowered the residual chlorine concentration to an greater extent than could be expected by dilution only. 2) Ozonation of the residual chlorine solution led to degradation of OCl - , but in solutions with a residual chlorine concentrations of less than 3 -- 4 ppm, ozonation had no effect. 3) Irradiation with ultra violet light (254 nm) decomposed the residual chlorine. Under the present work conditions (25 0 C: pH 8; depth 10 mm), nearly first order kinetics were to hold [da/dt = ksub((1)) (1-a)sup(n)]. There is a proportional relationship between the kinetic constant (k) and illuminous intensity (L), i.e., ksub((1))[C 0 sup(Cl 2 ): 10 ppm] = 6.56 x 10 -5 L (L = 0 -- 1000 lx). Thus, the use of both sea-water addition and UV irradiation provides a probable method for decomposing a residual chlorine to the expected concentration. (author)

Modification of Optical Properties of Seawater Exposed to Oil Contaminants Based on Excitation-Emission Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Baszanowska, E.; Otremba, Z.

2015-10-01

The optical behaviour of seawater exposed to a residual amount of oil pollution is presented and a comparison of the fluorescence spectra of oil dissolved in both n-hexane and seawater is discussed based on excitation-emission spectra. Crude oil extracted from the southern part of the Baltic Sea was used to characterise petroleum properties after contact with seawater. The wavelength-independent fluorescence maximum for natural seawater and seawater artificially polluted with oil were determined. Moreover, the specific excitation-emission peaks for natural seawater and polluted water were analysed to identify the natural organic matter composition. It was found that fluorescence spectra identification is a promising method to detect even an extremely low concentration of petroleum residues directly in the seawater. In addition, alien substances disturbing the fluorescence signatures of natural organic substances in a marine environment is also discussed.

Recovery of uranium from seawater. 14. System arrangements for the recovery of uranium from seawater by spherical amidoxime chelating resins utilizing natural seawater motions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egawa, Hiroaki; Kabay, Nalan; Shuto, Taketomi; Jyo, Akinori

1993-01-01

In order to evaluate performances of lightly cross-linked highly porous amidoxime resins in uranium-adsorption systems utilizing natural seawater motions, uranium uptake by the resins from seawater was studied by different approaches, such as simulated sea current exposure tests, towing trials, and/or mooring trials. In general, the efficiency of uranium uptake became higher with a decrease in the thickness of packing layers, indicating important roles of fluidization of the resin particles. On the basis of these fundamental data, mooring tests in the natural sea current were designed and conducted. By mooring flat adsorption beds (base area 260 cm 2 , height 3.0 cm) packed with 780 ml of the resin for 40 h, promising uranium uptake as high as 44 mg/kg of resin (9.9 mg/l of resin) was achieved under sea conditions in which the velocity of sea currents and the vertical velocity of waves were 5.5-49.7 cm/s and 3.4-27 cm/s, respectively

Uptake of elements from seawater by ferromanganese crusts: Solid-phase associations and seawater speciation

Science.gov (United States)

Koschinsky, A.; Hein, J.R.

2003-01-01

Marine Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide crusts form by precipitation of dissolved components from seawater. Three hydrogenetic crust samples (one phosphatized) and two hydrothermal Mn-oxide samples were subjected to a sequential-leaching procedure in order to determine the host phases of 40 elements. Those host-phase associations are discussed with respect to element speciation in seawater. The partitioning of elements between the two major phases, Mn oxide and Fe oxyhydroxide, can in a first-order approximation be explained by a simple sorption model related to the inorganic speciation of the elements in seawater, as has been proposed in earlier models. Free and weakly complexed cations, such as alkali and alkaline earth metals, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, T1(I), and partly Y, are sorbed preferentially on the negatively charged surface of the MnO2 in hydrogenetic crusts. The driving force is a strong coulombic interaction. All neutral or negatively charged chloro (Cd, Hg, T1), carbonate (Cu, Y, Pb, and U), and hydroxide (Be, Sc, Ti, Fe, Zr, Nb, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Hf, Ta, Bi, Th, and T1(III)) complexes and oxyanions (V, Cr, As, Se, Mo, and W) bind to the slightly positively charged surface of the amorphous FeOOH phase. While coulombic interaction can explain the sorption of the negatively charged species, the binding of neutral species is based on specific chemical interaction. Organic complexation of elements in deep-ocean water seems to be at most of minor importance. Surface oxidation can explain some strong metal associations, e.g. of Co and T1 with the MnO2 and Te with the FeOOH. Sorption reactions initially driven by coulombic forces are often followed by the formation of specific bonds between the adsorbate and the atoms of the oxide surface. Differences in the associations of some metals between the non-phosphatized and phosphatized hydrogenetic crusts and between the hydrogenetic and the hydrothermal samples reflect the different physico-chemical environments of formation and

30 CFR 57.4263 - Underground belt conveyors.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

....4263 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Fire Prevention and Control Firefighting Equipment § 57.4263 Underground belt conveyors. Fire protection shall be...

Seawater mesocosm experiments in the Arctic uncover differential transfer of marine bacteria to aerosols.

Science.gov (United States)

Fahlgren, Camilla; Gómez-Consarnau, Laura; Zábori, Julia; Lindh, Markus V; Krejci, Radovan; Mårtensson, E Monica; Nilsson, Douglas; Pinhassi, Jarone

2015-06-01

Biogenic aerosols critically control atmospheric processes. However, although bacteria constitute major portions of living matter in seawater, bacterial aerosolization from oceanic surface layers remains poorly understood. We analysed bacterial diversity in seawater and experimentally generated aerosols from three Kongsfjorden sites, Svalbard. Construction of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from paired seawater and aerosol samples resulted in 1294 sequences clustering into 149 bacterial and 34 phytoplankton operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Bacterial communities in aerosols differed greatly from corresponding seawater communities in three out of four experiments. Dominant populations of both seawater and aerosols were Flavobacteriia, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. Across the entire dataset, most OTUs from seawater could also be found in aerosols; in each experiment, however, several OTUs were either selectively enriched in aerosols or little aerosolized. Notably, a SAR11 clade OTU was consistently abundant in the seawater, but was recorded in significantly lower proportions in aerosols. A strikingly high proportion of colony-forming bacteria were pigmented in aerosols compared with seawater, suggesting that selection during aerosolization contributes to explaining elevated proportions of pigmented bacteria frequently observed in atmospheric samples. Our findings imply that atmospheric processes could be considerably influenced by spatiotemporal variations in the aerosolization efficiency of different marine bacteria. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Atmospheric Aerosol Emissions Related to the Mediterranean Seawater Biogeochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Sellegri, K.; Schwier, A.; Rose, C.; Gazeau, F. P. H.; Guieu, C.; D'anna, B.; Ebling, A. M.; Pey, J.; Marchand, N.; Charriere, B.; Sempéré, R.; Mas, S.

2016-02-01

Marine aerosols contribute significantly to the global aerosol load and consequently has an important impact on the Earth's climate. Different factors influence the way they are produced at the air/seawater interface. The sea state (whitecap coverage, temperature, etc. ) influence the size and concentration of primarily produced particles but also biogeochemical characteristics of the seawater influence both the physical and chemical primary fluxes to the atmosphere. An additional aerosol source of marine aerosol to the atmosphere is the formation of new particles by gaz-to-particle conversion, i.e. nucleation. How the seawater and surface microlayer biogeochemical compositions influences the aerosol emissions is still a large debate. In order to study marine emissions, one approach is to use semi-controlled environments such as mesocosms. Within the MedSea and SAM projects, we characterize the primary Sea Spray Aerosol (SSA) during mesocosms experiments performed during different seasons in the Mediteranean Sea. Mesocosms were either left unchanged as control or enriched by addition of nutriments in order to create different levels of phytoplanctonic activities. The mesocosms waters were daily analyzed for their chemical and biological composition (DOC, CDOM, TEP, Chl-a, virus, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton concentrations). SSA production by bubble bursting was daily simulated in a dedicated set-up. The size segregated SSA number fluxes, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties, and chemical composition were determined as a function of the seawater characteristics. We show that the SSA organic content was clearly correlated to the seawater Chl-a level, provided that the mesocosm was not enriched to create an artificial phytoplanctonic bloom. In our experiments, the enrichment of the seawater with natural surface microlayer did not impact the SSA organic content nor its CCN properties. At last, nucleation of secondary particles were observed to occur in

Seawater immersion aggravates burn-associated lung injury and inflammatory and oxidative-stress responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jun; Wang, Ying; Wu, Qi; Chen, Xiaowei; Wang, Jiahan; Yang, Lei

2017-08-01

With the increasing frequency of marine development activities and local wars at sea, the incidence of scald burns in marine accidents or wars has been increasing yearly. Various studies have indicated that immersion in seawater has a systemic impact on some organs of animals or humans with burn. Thus, for burn/scald injuries after immersion in seawater, it is desirable to study the effects and mechanisms of action on important organs. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of immersion in seawater on lung injury, inflammatory and oxidative-stress responses in scalded rats. The structural damage to lungs was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the results showed that seawater immersion aggravated structural lung injury in scalded rats. The expression of HMGB1 in lung tissues was detected by immunohistochemical analysis and the results showed that seawater immersion increased HMGB1 expression in lung tissues of scalded rats. Apoptosis in lung tissues was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transfer-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining and the results showed that seawater immersion increased apoptosis rate in lung tissues of scalded rats. In addition, the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, SOD, and MDA in serum were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and the results showed that seawater immersion induced secretion of proinflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8), increased MDA protein level, and suppressed SOD activity in the serum of scalded rats. Furthermore, measurement of plasma volume and pH showed that seawater immersion decreased plasma volume and pH value. Overall, the results indicated that all effects induced by immersion in seawater in scalded rats are more pronounced than those induced by freshwater. In conclusion, seawater immersion may aggravate lung injury and enhance inflammatory and oxidative-stress responses after burn. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights

78 FR 48591 - Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-08

... Administration 30 CFR Parts 7 and 75 Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines; Proposed Rules #0;#0;Federal... Underground Coal Mines AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor. ACTION: Limited reopening of the... for miners to deploy and use refuge alternatives in underground coal mines. The U.S. Court of Appeals...

Cell Culture Isolation of Piscine Nodavirus (Betanodavirus) in Fish-Rearing Seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishi, Shinnosuke; Yamashita, Hirofumi; Kawato, Yasuhiko; Nakai, Toshihiro

2016-04-01

Piscine nodavirus (betanodavirus) is the causative agent of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in a variety of cultured fish species, particularly marine fish. In the present study, we developed a sensitive method for cell culture isolation of the virus from seawater and applied the method to a spontaneous fish-rearing environment. The virus in seawater was concentrated by an iron-based flocculation method and subjected to isolation with E-11 cells. A real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assay was used to quantify the virus in water. After spiking into seawater was performed, a betanodavirus strain (red spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus [RGNNV] genotype) was effectively recovered in the E-11 cells at a detection limit of approximately 10(5)copies (equivalent to 10(2)50% tissue culture infective doses [TCID50])/liter seawater. In an experimental infection of juvenile sevenband grouper (Epinephelus septemfasciatus) with the virus, the virus was isolated from the drainage of a fish-rearing tank when the virus level in water was at least approximately 10(5)copies/liter. The application of this method to seven band grouper-rearing floating net pens, where VNN prevailed, resulted in the successful isolation of the virus from seawater. No differences were found in the partial sequences of the coat protein gene (RNA2) between the clinical virus isolates of dead fish and the cell-cultured virus isolates from seawater, and the viruses were identified as RGNNV. The infection experiment showed that the virus isolates from seawater were virulent to seven band grouper. These results showed direct evidence of the horizontal transmission of betanodavirus via rearing water in marine aquaculture. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The stress and underground environment

Science.gov (United States)

Chama, A.

2009-04-01

Currently,the program of prevention in occupational health needs mainly to identify occupational hazards and strategy of their prevention.Among these risks,the stress represents an important psycho-social hazard in mental health,which unfortunately does not spare no occupation.My Paper attempts to highlight and to develop this hazard in its different aspects even its regulatory side in underground environment as occupational environment.In the interest of better prevention ,we consider "the information" about the impact of stress as the second prevention efficient and no expensive to speleologists,hygienists and workers in the underground areas. In this occasion of this event in Vienna,we also highlight the scientific works on the stress of the famous viennese physician and endocrinologist Doctor Hans Selye (1907-1982),nicknamed "the father of stress" and note on relation between biological rhythms in this underground area and psychological troubles (temporal isolation) (Jurgen Aschoff’s works and experiences out-of time).

Mercury isotope fractionation during transfer from post-desulfurized seawater to air.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shuyuan; Lin, Kunning; Yuan, Dongxing; Gao, Yaqin; Sun, Lumin

2016-12-15

Samples of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) in the post-desulfurized seawater discharged from a coal-fired power plant together with samples of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) over the post-desulfurized seawater surface were collected and analyzed to study the mercury isotope fractionation during transfer from post-desulfurized seawater to air. Experimental results showed that when DGM in the seawater was converted to GEM in the air, the δ 202 Hg and Δ 199 Hg values were changed, ranging from -2.98 to -0.04‰ and from -0.31 to 0.64‰, respectively. Aeration played a key role in accelerating the transformation of DGM to GEM, and resulted in light mercury isotopes being more likely to be enriched in the GEM. The ratio Δ 199 Hg/Δ 201 Hg was 1.626 in all samples, suggesting that mercury mass independent fractionation occurred owing to the nuclear volume effect during the transformation. In addition, mass independent fractionation of mercury even isotopes was found in the GEM above the post-desulfurized seawater surface in the aeration pool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of electrode settings on chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Guoo-Shyng Wang; Hsia, Chih-Wei; Hsu, Shun-Yao

2015-12-01

Electrolyzed water has significant disinfection effects, can comply with food safety regulations, and is environmental friendly. We investigated the effects of immersion depth of electrodes, stirring, electrode size, and electrode gap on the properties and chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater and its storage stability. Results indicated that temperature and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the seawater increased gradually, whereas electrical conductivity decreased steadily in electrolysis. During the electrolysis process, pH values and electric currents also decreased slightly within small ranges. Additional stirring or immersing the electrodes deep under the seawater significantly increased current density without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Decreasing electrode size or increasing electrode gap decreased chlorine production and electric current of the process without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Less than 35% of chlorine in the electrolyzed seawater was lost in a 3-week storage period. The decrement trend leveled off after the 1 st week of storage. The electrolyzing system is a convenient and economical method for producing high-chlorine seawater, which will have high potential applications in agriculture, aquaculture, or food processing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of electrode settings on chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guoo-Shyng Wang Hsu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Electrolyzed water has significant disinfection effects, can comply with food safety regulations, and is environmental friendly. We investigated the effects of immersion depth of electrodes, stirring, electrode size, and electrode gap on the properties and chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater and its storage stability. Results indicated that temperature and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP of the seawater increased gradually, whereas electrical conductivity decreased steadily in electrolysis. During the electrolysis process, pH values and electric currents also decreased slightly within small ranges. Additional stirring or immersing the electrodes deep under the seawater significantly increased current density without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Decreasing electrode size or increasing electrode gap decreased chlorine production and electric current of the process without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Less than 35% of chlorine in the electrolyzed seawater was lost in a 3-week storage period. The decrement trend leveled off after the 1st week of storage. The electrolyzing system is a convenient and economical method for producing high-chlorine seawater, which will have high potential applications in agriculture, aquaculture, or food processing.

Online preconcentration ICP-MS analysis of rare earth elements in seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Hathorne, Ed C.; Haley, Brian; Stichel, Torben; Grasse, Patricia; Zieringer, Moritz; Frank, Martin

2012-01-01

The rare earth elements (REEs) with their systematically varying properties are powerful tracers of continental inputs, particle scavenging intensity and the oxidation state of seawater. However, their generally low (˜pmol/kg) concentrations in seawater and fractionation potential during chemical treatment makes them difficult to measure. Here we report a technique using an automated preconcentration system, which efficiently separates seawater matrix elements and elutes the preconcentrated sample directly into the spray chamber of an ICP-MS instrument. The commercially available "seaFAST" system (Elemental Scientific Inc.) makes use of a resin with ethylenediaminetriacetic acid and iminodiacetic acid functional groups to preconcentrate REEs and other metals while anions and alkali and alkaline earth cations are washed out. Repeated measurements of seawater from 2000 m water depth in the Southern Ocean allows the external precision (2σ) of the technique to be estimated at mine water reference materials diluted with a NaCl matrix with recommended values in the literature. This makes the online preconcentration ICP-MS technique advantageous for the minimal sample preparation required and the relatively small sample volume consumed (7 mL) thus enabling large data sets for the REEs in seawater to be rapidly acquired.

Extraction of uranium from seawater: chemical process and plant design feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, M.H.; Frame, J.M.; Dudey, N.D.; Kiel, G.R.; Mesec, V.; Woodfield, F.W.; Binney, S.E.; Jante, M.R.; Anderson, R.C.; Clark, G.T.

1979-02-01

A major assessment was made of the uranium resources in seawater. Several concepts for moving seawater to recover the uranium were investigated, including pumping the seawater and using natural ocean currents or tides directly. The optimal site chosen was on the southeastern Puerto Rico coast, with the south U.S. Atlantic coast as an alternate. The various processes for extracting uranium from seawater were reviewed, with the adsorption process being the most promising at the present time. Of the possible adsorbents, hydrous titanium oxide was found to have the best properties. A uranium extraction plant was conceptually designed. Of the possible methods for contacting the seawater with the adsorbent, a continuous fluidized bed concept was chosen as most practical for a pumped system. A plant recovering 500 tonnes of U 3 O 8 per year requires 5900 cubic meters per second of seawater to be pumped through the adsorbent beds for a 70% overall recovery efficiency. Total cost of the plant was estimated to be about $6.2 billion. A computer model for the process was used for parametric sensitivity studies and economic projections. Several design case variations were developed. Other topics addressed were the impact of co-product recovery, environmental considerations, etc

Extraction of uranium from seawater: chemical process and plant design feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, M.H.; Frame, J.M.; Dudey, N.D.; Kiel, G.R.; Mesec, V.; Woodfield, F.W.; Binney, S.E.; Jante, M.R.; Anderson, R.C.; Clark, G.T.

1979-02-01

A major assessment was made of the uranium resources in seawater. Several concepts for moving seawater to recover the uranium were investigated, including pumping the seawater and using natural ocean currents or tides directly. The optimal site chosen was on the southeastern Puerto Rico coast, with the south U.S. Atlantic coast as an alternate. The various processes for extracting uranium from seawater were reviewed, with the adsorption process being the most promising at the present time. Of the possible adsorbents, hydrous titanium oxide was found to have the best properties. A uranium extraction plant was conceptually designed. Of the possible methods for contacting the seawater with the adsorbent, a continuous fluidized bed concept was chosen as most practical for a pumped system. A plant recovering 500 tonnes of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ per year requires 5900 cubic meters per second of seawater to be pumped through the adsorbent beds for a 70% overall recovery efficiency. Total cost of the plant was estimated to be about $6.2 billion. A computer model for the process was used for parametric sensitivity studies and economic projections. Several design case variations were developed. Other topics addressed were the impact of co-product recovery, environmental considerations, etc.

Occurrence of radon in the Polish underground tourist routes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Olszewski

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: There are about 200 underground tourist routes in Poland. There are caves, mines or underground structures. This paper presents the results of the research intended to identify the extent of the occurrence of radon concentrations in underground areas of tourist routes. Material and Methods: We conducted the measurement of periodic concentrations of radon (1–2 months in the summer using type Tastrak trace detectors. We determined the average concentrations of radon in air in 66 underground tourist routes in Poland. Results: The research results comprise 259 determinations of average radon concentrations in 66 routes. The arithmetic average of the results was 1610 Bqm–3, and the maximum measured concentration was over 20 000 Bqm–3. The minimum concentration was 100 Bqm–3 (threshold method considering the arithmetic average of the measurements. It was found that in 67% of the routes, the average concentration of radon has exceeded 300 Bqm–3 and in 22 underground routes it exceeded 1000 Bqm–3. Conclusions: Radon which occurs in many Polish underground tourist routes may be an organizational, legal and health problem. It is necessary to develop a program of measures to reduce radon concentrations in underground routes, especially routes located in the former mines. Med Pr 2015;66(4:557–563

The arrangement of the seismic design method of the underground facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanai, Kenji; Horita, Masakuni; Dewa, Katsuyuki; Gouke, Mitsuo

2002-03-01

Earthquake resistance for the underground structure is higher than the ground structure. Therefore, the case of examining the earthquake resistance of underground structure was little. However, it carries out the research on the aseismic designing method of underground structure, since the tunnel was struck by Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake, and it has obtained a much knowledge. However, an object of the most study was behavior at earthquake of the comparatively shallow underground structure in the alluvial plain board, and it not carry out the examination on behavior at earthquake of underground structure in the deep rock mass. In the meantime, underground disposal facility of the high level radioactive waste constructs in the deep underground, and it carries out the operation in these tunnels. In addition, it has made almost the general process of including from the construction start to the backfilling to be about 60 years (Japan Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Institute, 1999). During these periods, it is necessary to also consider the earthquake resistance as underground structure from the viewpoint of the safety of facilities. Then, it extracted future problem as one of the improvement of the basis information for the decision of the safety standard and guideline of the country on earthquake-resistant design of the underground disposal facility, while it carried out investigation and arrangement of earthquake-resistant design cases, guidelines and analysis method on existing underground structure, etc. And, the research items for the earthquake resistance assessment of underground structure as case study of the underground research laboratory. (author)

Anion-exchange enrichment and spectrophotometric determination of uranium in sea-water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuroda, Rokuro; Oguma, Koichi; Mukai, Noriko; Iwamoto, Masatoshi

1987-01-01

A method is proposed for the determination of uranium in sea-water. The uranium is strongly sorbed on a strongly basic anion-exchange resin (Cl - form) from acidified sea-water containing sodium azide (0.3M) and is easily eluted with 1M hydrochloric acid. Uranium in the effluent can be determined spectrophotometrically with Arsenazo III. The combined method allows easy and selective determination of uranium in sea-water without using a sophisticated adsorbent. The overall recovery and precision are satisfactory at the 3 μg/1. level. (author)

Underground siting of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, F.

1982-01-01

The symposium gave the opportunity for an international exchange of views on the concepts of underground nuclear power plants, which are presently world wide under consideration. The results of investigations into the advantages and disadvantages with regard to the technical safety aspects of the underground plants in comparison to plants on the surface led to open and sometimes controversal discussions. As a result of the symposium (32 contributions) a general agreement can be stated on the judgement concerning the advantages and the disadvantages of underground nuclear power plants (nnp). The advantages are: increased protection against external events; delayed release of fission products in accident situations, if the closures operate properly. The disadvantages are: increased costs of the construction of underground and restrictions to such sites where either large caverns or deep pits can be constructed, which also requires that certain technical problems must be solved beforehand. Also, additional safety certificates related to the site will be required within the licensing procedures. The importance of these advantages and disadvantages was in some cases assessed very differently. The discussions also showed, that there are a number of topics where some questions have not been finally answered yet. (orig./HP) [de

Sampling and chemical analysis in environmental samples around Nuclear Power Plants and some environmental samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Yong Woo; Han, Man Jung; Cho, Seong Won; Cho, Hong Jun; Oh, Hyeon Kyun; Lee, Jeong Min; Chang, Jae Sook [KORTIC, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2002-12-15

Twelve kinds of environmental samples such as soil, seawater, underground water, etc. around Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs) were collected. Tritium chemical analysis was tried for the samples of rain water, pine-needle, air, seawater, underground water, chinese cabbage, a grain of rice and milk sampled around NPPs, and surface seawater and rain water sampled over the country. Strontium in the soil that sere sampled at 60 point of district in Korea were analyzed. Tritium were sampled at 60 point of district in Korea were analyzed. Tritium were analyzed in 21 samples of surface seawater around the Korea peninsular that were supplied from KFRDI(National Fisheries Research and Development Institute). Sampling and chemical analysis environmental samples around Kori, Woolsung, Youngkwang, Wooljin Npps and Taeduk science town for tritium and strontium analysis was managed according to plans. Succeed to KINS after all samples were tried.

The nuclear energy in the seawater desalination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno A, J.; Flores E, R.M.

2004-01-01

In general, the hydric resources of diverse regions of the world are insufficient for to satisfy the necessities of their inhabitants. Among the different technologies that are applied for the desalination of seawater are the distillation processes, the use of membranes and in particular recently in development the use of the nuclear energy (Nuclear Desalination; System to produce drinkable water starting from seawater in a complex integrated in that as much the nuclear reactor as the desalination system are in a common location, the facilities and pertinent services are shared, and the nuclear reactor produces the energy that is used for the desalination process). (Author)

Underground muons from Cygnus X-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, L.E.

1985-01-01

Underground detectors, intended for searches for nucleon decay and other rare processes, have recently begun searching for evidence of astrophysical sources, particularly Cygnus X-3, in the cosmic ray muons they record. Some evidence for signals from Cygnus X-3 has been reported. The underground observations are reported here in the context of previous (surface) observations of the source at high energies. 25 refs., 8 figs

Seawater Immersion of GEM II Propellant

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Merrill, Calude

1999-01-01

... (% AP lost/week aged in seawater) and intercepts that depend on sample size. Friction and impact data on dried aged propellant samples showed no increased burning hazard compared with propellant not exposed to water...

Design, construction and initial state of the underground openings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-12-01

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility. The report provides input on the initial state of the underground openings for the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the underground openings at final disposal, backfilling or closure. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the underground openings shall be constructed and inspected. The report presents the design premises and the methodology applied to design the underground openings and adapt them the to the site conditions so that they conform to the design premises. It presents the reference design at Forsmark and its conformity to the design premises. It also describes the reference methods to be applied to construct and inspect the different kinds of underground openings. Finally, the initial state of the underground openings and its conformity to the design premises is presented

Design, construction and initial state of the underground openings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-12-15

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility. The report provides input on the initial state of the underground openings for the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the underground openings at final disposal, backfilling or closure. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the underground openings shall be constructed and inspected. The report presents the design premises and the methodology applied to design the underground openings and adapt them the to the site conditions so that they conform to the design premises. It presents the reference design at Forsmark and its conformity to the design premises. It also describes the reference methods to be applied to construct and inspect the different kinds of underground openings. Finally, the initial state of the underground openings and its conformity to the design premises is presented

Investigation of adsorbers for the extracting of uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witte, E.G.; Astheimer, L.; Schenk, H.J.; Schwochau, K.

1979-01-01

Organic ion exchangers have been tested with respect to their efficiency uranium from seawater. A complexing polymer resin which combines fast uptake of uranium with high selectivity is found to be able to accumulate uranium from natural seawater by a factor of 2.6 x 10 5 . (orig.) 891 HK/orig. 892 MKO [de

Establishing sustainable strategies in urban underground engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Curiel-Esparza, Jorge; Canto-Perello, Julian; Calvo, Maria A

2004-07-01

Growth of urban areas, the corresponding increased demand for utility services and the possibility of new types of utility systems are overcrowding near surface underground space with urban utilities. Available subsurface space will continue to diminish to the point where utilidors (utility tunnels) may become inevitable. Establishing future sustainable strategies in urban underground engineering consists of the ability to lessen the use of traditional trenching. There is an increasing interest in utility tunnels for urban areas as a sustainable technique to avoid congestion of the subsurface. One of the principal advantages of utility tunnels is the substantially lower environmental impact compared with common trenches. Implementing these underground facilities is retarded most by the initial cost and management procedures. The habitual procedure is to meet problems as they arise in current practice. The moral imperative of sustainable strategies fails to confront the economic and political conflicts of interest. Municipal engineers should act as a key enabler in urban underground sustainable development.

Process for enriching uranium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heitkamp, D.; Inden, P.

1982-01-01

In selective elutriation of uranium deposited on titanium oxide hydrate by carbonate solution, only uranium should be dissolved from the absorption material forming carbonate compounds, without the deposited ballast ions, above all of magnesium, calcium and sodium being elutriated. The uranium elutriation according to the invention is therefore carried out in the presence of these ballast ions in the same concentrations as those in seawater. The carbonate concentration can only be raised as far as the solubility product of the basic magnesium carbonate permits, so that magnesium remains in the solution, as well as carbonate, in the concentration present in seawater. One must accept the absence of calcium ions in the elutriation solution, as their solubility product with carbonate is considerably less than that for magnesium. (orig./PW) [de

A solvent extraction technique for the isotopic measurement of dissolved copper in seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thompson, Claire M., E-mail: claire.thompson@anu.edu.au; Ellwood, Michael J., E-mail: michael.ellwood@anu.edu.au; Wille, Martin, E-mail: martin.wille@uni-tuebingen.de

2013-05-02

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •A new sample preparation method for seawater copper isotopic analysis (δ{sup 65}Cu). •Solvent-extraction was used to pre-concentrate metals from seawater samples. •Anion-exchange was used to purify copper from the metal-rich extract. •δ{sup 65}Cu was measured in the north Tasman Sea. •Seawater δ{sup 65}Cu may be linked to marine biological activity. -- Abstract: Stable copper (Cu) isotope geochemistry provides a new perspective for investigating and understanding Cu speciation and biogeochemical Cu cycling in seawater. In this work, sample preparation for isotopic analysis employed solvent-extraction with amino pyrollidine dithiocarbamate/diethyl dithiocarbamate (APDC/DDC), coupled with a nitric acid back-extraction, to concentrate Cu from seawater. This was followed by Cu-purification using anion-exchange. This straightforward technique is high yielding and fractionation free for Cu and allows precise measurement of the seawater Cu isotopic composition using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. A deep-sea profile measured in the oligotrophic north Tasman Sea shows fractionation in the Cu isotopic signature in the photic zone but is relatively homogenised at depth. A minima in the Cu isotopic profile correlates with the chlorophyll a maximum at the site. These results indicate that a range of processes are likely to fractionate stable Cu isotopes in seawater.

Predicting and measurement of pH of seawater reverse osmosis concentrates

KAUST Repository

Waly, Tarek; Kennedy, Maria Dolores; Witkamp, Geert-Jan; Amy, Gary L.; Schippers, Jan Cornelis

2011-01-01

The pH of seawater reverse osmosis plants (SWRO) is the most influential parameter in determining the degree of supersaturation of CaCO3 in the concentrate stream. For this, the results of pH measurements of the concentrate of a seawater reverse

Logistics background study: underground mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanslovan, J. J.; Visovsky, R. G.

1982-02-01

Logistical functions that are normally associated with US underground coal mining are investigated and analyzed. These functions imply all activities and services that support the producing sections of the mine. The report provides a better understanding of how these functions impact coal production in terms of time, cost, and safety. Major underground logistics activities are analyzed and include: transportation and personnel, supplies and equipment; transportation of coal and rock; electrical distribution and communications systems; water handling; hydraulics; and ventilation systems. Recommended areas for future research are identified and prioritized.

Master plan of Mizunami underground research laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-04-01

In June 1994, the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan reformulated the Long-Term Programme for Research, Development and Utilisation of Nuclear Energy (LTP). The LTP (item 7, chapter 3) sets out the guidelines which apply to promoting scientific studies of the deep geological environment, with a view to providing a sound basis for research and development programmes for geological disposal projects. The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has been conducting scientific studies of the deep geological environment as part of its Geoscientific Research Programme. The LTP also emphasised the importance of deep underground research facilities in the following terms: Deep underground research facilities play an important role in research relating to geological disposal. They allow the characteristics and features of the geological environment, which require to be considered in performance assessment of disposal systems, to be investigated in situ and the reliability of the models used for evaluating system performance to be developed and refined. They also provide opportunities for carrying out comprehensive research that will contribute to an improved overall understanding of Japan's deep geological environment. It is recommended that more than one facility should be constructed, considering the range of characteristics and features of Japan's geology and other relevant factors. It is important to plan underground research facilities on the basis of results obtained from research and development work already carried out, particularly the results of scientific studies of the deep geological environment. Such a plan for underground research facilities should be clearly separated from the development of an actual repository. JNC's Mizunami underground research laboratory (MIU) Project will be a deep underground research facility as foreseen by the above provisions of the LTP. (author)

Underground neutrino astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schramm, D.N.

1983-02-01

A review is made of possible astronomical neutrino sources detectable with underground facilities. Comments are made about solar neutrinos and gravitational-collapse neutrinos, and particular emphasis is placed on ultra-high-energy astronomical neutrino sources. An appendix mentions the exotic possibility of monopolonium

Caldera unrest detected with seawater temperature anomalies at Deception Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Berrocoso, M.; Prates, G.; Fernández-Ros, A.; Peci, L. M.; de Gil, A.; Rosado, B.; Páez, R.; Jigena, B.

2018-04-01

Increased thermal activity was detected to coincide with the onset of volcano inflation in the seawater-filled caldera at Deception Island. This thermal activity was manifested in pulses of high water temperature that coincided with ocean tide cycles. The seawater temperature anomalies were detected by a thermometric sensor attached to the tide gauge (bottom pressure sensor). This was installed where the seawater circulation and the locations of known thermal anomalies, fumaroles and thermal springs, together favor the detection of water warmed within the caldera. Detection of the increased thermal activity was also possible because sea ice, which covers the entire caldera during the austral winter months, insulates the water and thus reduces temperature exchange between seawater and atmosphere. In these conditions, the water temperature data has been shown to provide significant information about Deception volcano activity. The detected seawater temperature increase, also observed in soil temperature readings, suggests rapid and near-simultaneous increase in geothermal activity with onset of caldera inflation and an increased number of seismic events observed in the following austral summer.

Numerical modeling of seawater intrusion in Zhoushuizi district of Dalian City, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, J.; Lin, J.; Wu, J.

2013-12-01

A three-dimensional heterogeneous density-dependent numerical model was constructed to simulate the seawater intrusion process in coastal aquifers in Zhoushuizi Region, Dalian City. Model calibration was achieved through a prediction-correction method by adjusting the zonation and values of hydrogeologic parameters until the calculated heads and concentrations matched the observed values. Model validation results also showed that it was reasonable under current data conditions. Then the calibrated and validated model was applied to predict the dynamics and trend of seawater intrusion according to the current groundwater abstraction conditions in this study area 30 years after 2010. Prediction results showed that overall seawater intrusion in the future would be even more severe. Actually, with the growing of the population and development of the economy, the demand for ground water will be increasing continuously so that the problem of seawater intrusion may be more serious than that predicted by the modelin this study. Better strategies for reasonably governing exploitation of groundwater in the study area can be further developed by using this three-dimensional seawater intrusion model.

The adsorber loop concept for the contact between seawater and adsorber granulate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koske, P.H.; Ohlrogge, K.

1984-01-01

For the production of 1 kg uranium from seawater about 10 9 kg seawater - depending on the extraction efficiency - have to be processed in a production plant. Such high seawater flows have to be put through adsorber beds the area of which depends on the flow velocity of the water in the bed. For a typical polyamidoxim (PAO) adsorber granulate with a grain size distribution of 0.3 to 1.2 mm the velocity in a fluidized bed is limited to about 1 cm/s in order to prevent carry out of the adsorber material. The consequences of this rather low bed velocity are large and expensive bed areas for technical production plants. The present paper deals with the so-called ''adsorber loop concept'' in which the adsorber granulate is carried along with the seawater to be processed in a loop-like configuration and is separated again from the water before this is leaving the adsorption unit. This concept enables considerably higher seawater velocities thus reducing the bed area. Theoretical considerations are presented together with experimental results from field tests. (author)

Name agreement in picture naming : An ERP study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cheng, Xiaorong; Schafer, Graham; Akyürek, Elkan G.

Name agreement is the extent to which different people agree on a name for a particular picture. Previous studies have found that it takes longer to name low name agreement pictures than high name agreement pictures. To examine the effect of name agreement in the online process of picture naming, we

Behaviors of radionuclides in wet underground soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Y.; Morisawa, S.

Experimental studies were made of the variations of the distribution coefficient of 65 Zn, 60 Co, and /sup 110 m/Ag with Ca ion contents in sand--water and resin--water systems. It is concluded that: (1) The distribution coefficient of a radionuclide is not constant but varies greatly especially with calcium ion concentration in underground water. (2) The Saturation Index I=pH-pHs can be used as a parameter to indicate such variations. (3) Some radionuclides, existing as radiocolloids like (sup 110m/Ag and 59 Fe, are inactive toward ion exchange reactions as with hydroxide. In such cases, the nuclides migrate underground as fast as underground water

A family of names : rune-names and ogam-names and their relation to alphabet letter-names

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Griffiths, Alan

2013-01-01

The current consensus is that vernacular names assigned to the runes of the Germanic fuþark and to Irish ogam characters are indigenous creations independent of Mediterranean alphabet traditions. I propose, however, that ogam-names are based on interpretations of Hebrew, Greek or Latin letter-names

Experimental study of composition and influence factors on fouling of stainless steel and copper in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Dazhang; Liu, Jianhua; E, Xiaoxue; Jiang, Linlin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An increase of seawater temperature deteriorates the fouling and corrosion. • The main compositions of crystals are Mg(OH) 2 , Al(OH) 3 and their complex compounds. • The images of the seawater fouling on stainless steel and copper were shown in the paper. • A higher heat flux and A higher Reynolds number are prone to crystallization fouling accumulation in seawater. - Abstract: Metals and alloys are easily fouled in marine environment. It is a big problem for heat exchangers using cooling seawater in power plants or ships. In the paper, a seawater-fouling dynamic test device was built to investigate the composition and influence factors on fouling of stainless steel and copper in the cooling seawater system. Moreover, the static trials were performed to study the fouling and corrosion of stainless steel and copper in marine environment. The experimental results show that the seawater fouling of stainless steel is crystallization fouling, and the main elements of fouling are magnesium and aluminum. In addition, the results show that the seawater fouling of copper is corrosion fouling. In the dynamic experiments, the effects of heat flux and Reynolds number on stainless steel fouling were studied. The results show that higher heat flux and higher Reynolds number of seawater lead to the accumulation of seawater fouling.

Investigation on the effect of seawater to hydraulic property and wetting process of bentonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Takuma

2004-01-01

On high-level waste disposal, bentonite is one of the most promising material for buffer and backfill material. The hydraulic properties and wetting process of bentonite are important not only for barrier performance assessment but also for prediction of waste disposal environment, such as resaturation time and thermal distribution. In Japan, we should consider the effect of seawater for bentonite, because radioactive waste will be disposed of in coastal area and in marine sediment where seawater remained. However, it is not enough to understand the effect of seawater. Therefore, experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of seawater on the hydraulic conductivity and wetting process of bentonite. The effect of seawater on hydraulic conductivity is significant for Na-bentonite, the hydraulic conductivity of Na-bentonite in seawater is one order to magnitude higher than that in distilled water. On the other hand, the hydraulic conductivity of Ca-bentonite is not influenced by seawater. The hydraulic conductivity of bentonite decreases as effective montmorillonite density increases. The effective montmorillonite density is ratio between the weight of montmorillonite and volume of porosity and montmorillonite. The hydraulic conductivity of bentonite is close related to swelling property since the hydraulic conductivity decrease as the swelling pressure increase. Wetting process of compacted bentonite could be evaluated by diffusion phenomena since infiltration rate and change of saturation rate and represented by diffusion equation. The effect of seawater on water diffusivity is significant for Na-type bentonite with low effective montmorillonite density. Except for that condition, the water diffusivity of bentonite is almost constant and is not influenced by effective montmorillonite density and seawater. (author)

Simulation of Daylighting Conditions in a Virtual Underground City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiano Merli Alcini

2015-06-01

Full Text Available From the Piranesi fantastic architectures to the animation movies and video games of the last thirty years, a new design approach has been introduced and developed: the design of the virtual space. Designing the "virtual" means experiencing a multidisciplinary approach where architecture, engineering, and urban planning meet the new horizons of information and communication technology. This study is focused on virtual space, which is an underground city. Mankind have always made and used underground environments: the possibilities of unlimited spaces to potential development, the reduced needs for raw materials for the construction and the protection from outdoor weather are some of the reasons that prompted humans to the realization of underground spaces in the past. These reasons and the availability of innovative technologies could encourage a breakthrough in the realization of new underground environments. A recent example is represented by the Underground City of Montreal (RÉSO. We present the architectural design of a virtual underground city, which is called Arch[ane], and its evaluation. The underground city is modular and the studied module is composed of eight floors with a total depth of 400 m and dimensions of 800 m × 800 m. The study comprises the evaluation of the effect of sunlight on each eight floors of the city. Daylighting simulations were performed considering different cities at different latitudes, days, and hours. The results have shown that the particular design of the underground city with skylights gives significant values of illuminance at a certain depth. Furthermore, the simulation results show how huge can be the potentialities of software to simulate extremely big environments.

Radon exposure in selected underground touring routes in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olszewski, J.; Chruscielewski, W.; Jankowski, J.

2006-01-01

The radioactive elements abounding in the natural environment cause that the whole human population is exposed to radiation. In Poland, mean gamma radiation dose power is 45.4 n Gy h -1 , while atmospheric radon concentration is 4.4 Bq m -3 [1]. In closed rooms, where radon tends to accumulate, the concentrations may be many times higher.Underground touring routes located in caves, mines, ancient cellars, vaults may accumulate radon at concentrations several thousand times exceeding its atmospheric levels. Studies on natural radioactivity in underground touring routes, with particular reference to caves, have continued worldwide since the 80's. Current register of underground touring routes in Poland comprises over 30 items, which include caves (e.g. Niedzwiedzia), mines (Wieliczka), cellars and underground stores (Opatow City vaults) and military objects (underground factories of Walim). The Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine has for several years already continued determinations of periodical mean radon concentrations in four underground touring routes (starting date in parentheses): Niedzwiedzia Cave (1995); Kowary Drifts closed uranium mine (2001); closed uranium mine in Kletno (2004); Zloty Stok closed gold mine (2004); Osowka underground city in Gluszyca (2004).The results of our determinations of radon concentrations at five selected touring routes lead to the following conclusions. 1. The exposure in the Kowary Drifts touring route is at the level of 5% of the recommended maximum annual admissible limit of 20 mSv. 2. It is assessed that workers of the touring routes where exposures are estimated from the measured concentrations and the time spent underground may receive doses ranging from 0.01 to 5 mSv. (N.C.)

Radon exposure in selected underground touring routes in Poland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olszewski, J.; Chruscielewski, W.; Jankowski, J. [Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Dept. of Radiation Protection, Lodz (Poland)

2006-07-01

The radioactive elements abounding in the natural environment cause that the whole human population is exposed to radiation. In Poland, mean gamma radiation dose power is 45.4 n Gy h{sup -1}, while atmospheric radon concentration is 4.4 Bq m{sup -3} [1]. In closed rooms, where radon tends to accumulate, the concentrations may be many times higher.Underground touring routes located in caves, mines, ancient cellars, vaults may accumulate radon at concentrations several thousand times exceeding its atmospheric levels. Studies on natural radioactivity in underground touring routes, with particular reference to caves, have continued worldwide since the 80's. Current register of underground touring routes in Poland comprises over 30 items, which include caves (e.g. Niedzwiedzia), mines (Wieliczka), cellars and underground stores (Opatow City vaults) and military objects (underground factories of Walim). The Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine has for several years already continued determinations of periodical mean radon concentrations in four underground touring routes (starting date in parentheses): Niedzwiedzia Cave (1995); Kowary Drifts closed uranium mine (2001); closed uranium mine in Kletno (2004); Zloty Stok closed gold mine (2004); Osowka underground city in Gluszyca (2004).The results of our determinations of radon concentrations at five selected touring routes lead to the following conclusions. 1. The exposure in the Kowary Drifts touring route is at the level of 5% of the recommended maximum annual admissible limit of 20 mSv. 2. It is assessed that workers of the touring routes where exposures are estimated from the measured concentrations and the time spent underground may receive doses ranging from 0.01 to 5 mSv. (N.C.)

Underground siting of nuclear power plants: potential benefits and penalties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allensworth, J.A.; Finger, J.T.; Milloy, J.A.; Murfin, W.B.; Rodeman, R.; Vandevender, S.G.

1977-08-01

The potential for improving nuclear power safety is analyzed by siting plants underground in mined cavities or by covering plants with fill earth after construction in an excavated cut. Potential benefits and penalties of underground plants are referenced to analogous plants located on the surface. Three representative regional sites having requisite underground geology were used to evaluate underground siting. The major factors which were evaluated for all three sites were: (1) containment of radioactive materials, (2) transport of groundwater contamination, and (3) seismic vulnerability. External protection, plant security, feasibility, operational considerations, and cost were evaluated on a generic basis. Additionally, the national availability of sites having the requisite geology for both underground siting concepts was determined

Investigations into the Reusability of Amidoxime-Based Polymeric Adsorbents for Seawater Uranium Extraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuo, Li-Jung [Marine; Pan, Horng-Bin [Department; Wai, Chien M. [Department; Byers, Margaret F. [Nuclear; Schneider, Erich [Nuclear; Strivens, Jonathan E. [Marine; Janke, Christopher J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Das, Sadananda [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Mayes, Richard T. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Wood, Jordana R. [Marine; Schlafer, Nicholas [Marine; Gill, Gary A. [Marine

2017-09-29

The ability to re-use amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents is a critical component in reducing the overall cost of the technology to extract uranium from seawater. This report describes an evaluation of adsorbent reusability in multiple re-use (adsorption/stripping) cycles in real seawater exposures with potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) elution using several amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents. The KHCO3 elution technique achieved ~100% recovery of uranium adsorption capacity in the first re-use. Subsequent re-uses showed significant drops in adsorption capacity. After the 4th re-use with the ORNL AI8 adsorbent, the 56-day adsorption capacity dropped to 28% of its original capacity. FTIR spectra revealed that there was a conversion of the amidoxime ligands to carboxylate groups during extended seawater exposure, becoming more significant with longer the exposure time. Ca and Mg adsorption capacities also increased with each re-use cycle supporting the hypothesis that long term exposure resulted in converting amidoxime to carboxylate, enhancing the adsorption of Ca and Mg. Shorter seawater exposure (adsorption/stripping) cycles (28 vs. 42 days) had higher adsorption capacities after re-use, but the shorter exposure cycle time did not produce an overall better performance in terms of cumulative exposure time. Recovery of uranium capacity in re-uses may also vary across different adsorbent formulations. Through multiple re-use the adsorbent AI8 can harvest 10 g uranium/kg adsorbent in ~140 days, using a 28-day adsorption/stripping cycle, a performance much better than would be achieved with a single use of the adsorbent through very long-term exposure (saturation capacity = 7.4 g U/kg adsorbent). A time dependent seawater exposure model to evaluate the cost associated with reusing amidoxime-based adsorbents in real seawater exposures was developed. The cost to extract uranium from seawater ranged from $610-830/kg U was predicted. Model simulation suggests that a short

The Stranger Within: Dostoevsky's Underground

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Peter

2013-01-01

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's influential novel "Notes from underground", we find one of the most memorable characters in nineteenth century literature. The Underground Man, around whom everything else in this book revolves, is in some respects utterly repugnant: he is self-centred, obsessive and cruel. Yet he is also highly intelligent,…

Underground laboratories in Japan and North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobel, Henry W

2006-01-01

There is a blossoming demand for deep underground laboratory space to satisfy the expanding interest in experiments that require significant cosmic-ray shielding. I'll briefly describe the existing deep facilities and their plans for expansion. I will also discuss the planning for a new major underground facility in the U.S

Radiochemical determination of cesium-137 in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunha, I.I.L.; Munita, C.S.; Paiva, R.P.

1990-01-01

Seawater samples were collected from the Atlantic Ocean, in the vicinity of Ubatuba (Sao Paulo State - Brazil), acidified to pH 1 and stored in polyethylene containers. Cesium was precipitated with ammonium phospho molybdate (AMP), synthesized in our laboratory. The elements potassium and rubidium present in the seawater are also coprecipitated by AMP and adequate decontamination of the cesium is made by preparing a column by mixing Cs-137 AMP precipitate and asbestos. The interfering elements were eluted with 1.0 M ammonium nitrate solution whereas cesium was eluted with 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solution. Cesium was reprecipitated by acidifying the solution with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The overall chemical yield of cesium was of 75%. (author)

First ATLAS Events Recorded Underground

CERN Multimedia

Teuscher, R

As reported in the CERN Bulletin, Issue No.30-31, 25 July 2005 The ATLAS barrel Tile calorimeter has recorded its first events underground using a cosmic ray trigger, as part of the detector commissioning programme. This is not a simulation! A cosmic ray muon recorded by the barrel Tile calorimeter of ATLAS on 21 June 2005 at 18:30. The calorimeter has three layers and a pointing geometry. The light trapezoids represent the energy deposited in the tiles of the calorimeter depicted as a thick disk. On the evening of June 21, the ATLAS detector, now being installed in the underground experimental hall UX15, reached an important psychological milestone: the barrel Tile calorimeter recorded the first cosmic ray events in the underground cavern. An estimated million cosmic muons enter the ATLAS cavern every 3 minutes, and the ATLAS team decided to make good use of some of them for the commissioning of the detector. Although only 8 of the 128 calorimeter slices ('superdrawers') were included in the trigg...

Research on prognostics and health management of underground pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guangdi; Yang, Meng; Yang, Fan; Ni, Na

2018-04-01

With the development of the city, the construction of the underground pipeline is more and more complex, which has relation to the safety and normal operation of the city, known as "the lifeline of the city". First of all, this paper introduces the principle of PHM (Prognostics and Health Management) technology, then proposed for fault diagnosis, prognostics and health management in view of underground pipeline, make a diagnosis and prognostics for the faults appearing in the operation of the underground pipeline, and then make a health assessment of the whole underground pipe network in order to ensure the operation of the pipeline safely. Finally, summarize and prospect the future research direction.

An underground nuclear power station using self-regulating heat-pipe controlled reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Hampel, V.E.

1988-05-17

A nuclear reactor for generating electricity is disposed underground at the bottom of a vertical hole that can be drilled using conventional drilling technology. The primary coolant of the reactor core is the working fluid in a plurality of thermodynamically coupled heat pipes emplaced in the hole between the heat source at the bottom of the hole and heat exchange means near the surface of the earth. Additionally, the primary coolant (consisting of the working fluid in the heat pipes in the reactor core) moderates neutrons and regulates their reactivity, thus keeping the power of the reactor substantially constant. At the end of its useful life, the reactor core may be abandoned in place. Isolation from the atmosphere in case of accident or for abandonment is provided by the operation of explosive closures and mechanical valves emplaced along the hole. This invention combines technology developed and tested for small, highly efficient, space-based nuclear electric power plants with the technology of fast- acting closure mechanisms developed and used for underground testing of nuclear weapons. This invention provides a nuclear power installation which is safe from the worst conceivable reactor accident, namely, the explosion of a nuclear weapon near the ground surface of a nuclear power reactor. 5 figs.

Physics at the proposed National Underground Science Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieto, M.M.

1983-01-01

The scientific, technical, and financial reasons for building a National Underground Science Facility are discussed. After reviewing examples of other underground facilities, we focus on the Los Alamos proposal and the national for its choice of site

Underground spaces/cybernetic spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomaž Novljan

2000-01-01

Full Text Available A modern city space is a space where in the vertical and horizontal direction dynamic, non-linear processes exist, similar as in nature. Alongside the “common” city surface, cities have underground spaces as well that are increasingly affecting the functioning of the former. It is the space of material and cybernetic communication/transport. The psychophysical specifics of using underground places have an important role in their conceptualisation. The most evident facts being their limited volume and often limited connections to the surface and increased level of potential dangers of all kinds. An efficient mode for alleviating the effects of these specific features are artistic interventions, such as: shape, colour, lighting, all applications of the basic principles of fractal theory.

Case study of siting technology for underground nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hibino, Satoshi; Komada, Hiroya; Honsho, Shizumitsu; Fujiwara, Yoshikazu; Motojima, Mutsumi; Nakagawa, Kameichiro; Nosaki, Takashi

1991-01-01

Underground siting method is one of new feasible siting methods for nuclear power plants. This report presents the results on case studies on underground siting. Two sites of a steeply inclined and plateau like configurations were selected. 'Tunnel type cavern; all underground siting' method was applied for the steeply inclined configuration, and 'shaft type semi-cavern; partial underground siting' method was applied for the plateau like configuration. The following designs were carried out for these two sites as case studies; (1) conceptual designs, (2) geological surveys and rock mechanics tests, (3) stability analysis during cavern excavations, (4) seismic stability analysis of caverns during earthquake, (5) reinforcement designs for caverns, (6) drainage designs. The case studies showed that these two cases were fully feasible, and comparison between two cases revealed that the 'shaft type semi-cavern; partial underground siting' method was more suitable for Japanese islands. As a first step of underground siting, therefore, the authors recommend to construct a nuclear power plant by this method. (author)

Dynamic response of underground openings in discontinuous rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asmis, H.W.

1984-02-01

This report examines the behaviour of underground openings in discontinuous rock in response to seismic waves associated with either earthquakes or rock bursts. A literature search revealed that well-constructed underground structures, such as would be expected for nuclear fuel waste disposal vaults, underground pumped-storage or nuclear plants, have an extremely high resistance to damage from seismic motion. To complement these qualitative results, it was necessary to examine the basic mechanisms of the entire progression of seismic motion, from wave generation and propagation, to wave interaction with the underground opening. From these investigations, it was found that unless a seismic event occurs very close to the installation, the stresses generated will be low with respect to the excavation stresses, because high stress waves are rapidly attenuated in travelling through rock. As well, an earthquake may generate extremely high accelerations, but is limited in the maximum amount of stress that it can create. The question, however, of the actual specific nature of underground seismic motions still remains essentially unanswered, although it is expected that there is a reduction in peak motions with depth due to the effect of the free surface of the earth

THE JOSEF REGIONAL UNDERGROUND RESEARCH CENTRE (JOSEF URC

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Dana Pacovská

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The Josef Gallery, located in the central Bohemia region of the Czech Republic was first excavated in 1981 as an exploration complex for the potential mining of gold. In 2007, the gallery was substantially reconstructed to house the Josef Underground Educational Facility (Josef UEF, which subsequently became an autonomous workplace under the direction of the Czech Technical University in Prague. At the beginning of 2010, the UEF was renamed the Josef Regional Underground Research Centre (Josef URC which, along with the extensive underground complex, features modern above-ground facilities. One of the most important roles of this research center is to provide practical in-situ instruction in the fields of geotechnical engineering, geology, geochemistry, radiochemistry and radioecology. The training of future experts in this authentic underground setting involves the participation of several other Czech universities and numerous experienced specialists from outside the academic sphere. The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency has added the Josef URC to its prestigious list of international training canters involved in the “Training in and Demonstration of Waste Disposal Technologies in Underground Research Facilities – A Network of Centers of Excellence” project.

A Simulation-Optimization Model for Seawater Intrusion Management at Pingtung Coastal Area, Taiwan

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Po-Syun Huang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The coastal regions of Pingtung Plain in southern Taiwan rely on groundwater as their main source of fresh water for aquaculture, agriculture, domestic, and industrial sectors. The availability of fresh groundwater is threatened by unsustainable groundwater extraction and the over-pumpage leads to the serious problem of seawater intrusion. It is desired to find appropriate management strategies to control groundwater salinity and mitigate seawater intrusion. In this study, a simulation–optimization model has been presented to solve the problem of seawater intrusion along the coastal aquifers in Pingtung Plain and the objective is using injection well barriers and minimizing the total injection rate based on the pre-determined locations of injection barriers. The SEAWAT code is used to simulate the process of seawater intrusion and the surrogate model of artificial neural networks (ANNs is used to approximate the seawater intrusion (SWI numerical model to increase the computational efficiency during the optimization process. The heuristic optimization scheme of differential evolution (DE algorithm is selected to identify the global optimal management solution. Two different management scenarios, one is the injection barriers located along the coast and the other is the injection barrier located at the inland, are considered and the optimized results show that the deployment of injection barriers at the inland is more effective to reduce total dissolved solids (TDS concentrations and mitigate seawater intrusion than that along the coast. The computational time can be reduced by more than 98% when using ANNs to replace the numerical model and the DE algorithm has been confirmed as a robust optimization scheme to solve groundwater management problems. The proposed framework can identify the most reliable management strategies and provide a reference tool for decision making with regard to seawater intrusion remediation.

Seawater desalination with solar-energy-integrated vacuum membrane distillation system

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Fang Wang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This study designed and tested a novel type of solar-energy-integrated vacuum membrane distillation (VMD system for seawater desalination under actual environmental conditions in Wuhan, China. The system consists of eight parts: a seawater tank, solar collector, solar cooker, inclined VMD evaporator, circulating water vacuum pump, heat exchanger, fresh water tank, and brine tank. Natural seawater was used as feed and a hydrophobic hollow-fiber membrane module was used to improve seawater desalination. The experiment was conducted during a typical summer day. Results showed that when the highest ambient temperature was 33 °C, the maximum value of the average solar intensity was 1,080 W/m2. The system was able to generate 36 kg (per m2 membrane module distilled fresh water during 1 day (7:00 am until 6:00 pm, the retention rate was between 99.67 and 99.987%, and electrical conductivity was between 0.00276 and 0.0673 mS/cm. The average salt rejection was over 90%. The proposed VMD system shows favorable potential application in desalination of brackish waters or high-salt wastewater treatment, as well.

The Mimetic Principle in the Underground Economy

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Cristina Voicu

2009-08-01

Full Text Available There has been in the recent years an increased preoccupation at international level for the research of the mechanism of development of the underground economy. The numerous vain attempts to measure the dimension of the underground economy persuaded us to embark on a qualitative research of this economic phenomenon. In our investigation on the roots of the underground economy we drew very close to the psychological and sociological aspects of the phenomenon itself. The process of humanizing that has at its origin components of the mimetic principle, like acquisitive mimesis, prompt us to ponder over J.M. Keynes’ words: „The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual ambition that one feels rewarded for.”

RP delves underground

CERN Document Server

Anaïs Schaeffer

2011-01-01

The LHC’s winter technical stop is rapidly approaching. As in past years, technical staff in their thousands will be flocking to the underground areas of the LHC and the Linac2, Booster, PS and SPS injectors. To make sure they are protected from ionising radiation, members of the Radiation Protection Group will perform an assessment of the levels of radioactivity in the tunnels as soon as the beams have stopped.   Members of the Radiation Protection Group with their precision instruments that measure radioactivity. At 7-00 a.m. on 8 December the LHC and all of the upstream accelerators will begin their technical stop. At 7-30 a.m., members of the Radiation Protection Group will enter the tunnel to perform a radiation mapping, necessary so that the numerous teams can do their work in complete safety. “Before we proceed underground, we always check first to make sure that the readings from the induced radioactivity monitors installed in the tunnels are all normal,&rdqu...

Underground nuclear energy complexes - technical and economic advantages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Myers, Carl W [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kunze, Jay F [IDAHO STATE UNIV; Giraud, Kellen M [BABECOCK AND WILCOX; Mahar, James M [IDAHO STATE UNIV

2010-01-01

Underground nuclear power plant parks have been projected to be economically feasible compared to above ground instalIations. This paper includes a thorough cost analysis of the savings, compared to above ground facilities, resulting from in-place entombment (decommissioning) of facilities at the end of their life. reduced costs of security for the lifetime of the various facilities in the underground park. reduced transportation costs. and reduced costs in the operation of the waste storage complex (also underground). compared to the fair share of the costs of operating a national waste repository.

Hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics of estuarial seawater and river water of Bailanghe in Laizhou Bay, China

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiaofeng; Xu, Suning; Wang, Ruijiu; Li, Wenpeng; Wang, Zhiyi; Mei, Junjun; Ding, Zhilei; Yang, Peijie; Yu, Liangju; Lv, Tieying; Bai, Gang; Kang, Wei

2016-04-01

In the study of seawater intrusion, seawater is usually taken as an end-member that mixes with other source(s). However, compared to standard seawater, the coastal seawater particularly that near the estuary, can be strongly influenced by the rivers into the sea and by coastal human activities. Their composition can be thus continuously changed and redistributed with space and time. Therefore, before investigating seawater intrusion in a certain area, it is essentially important to determine the features of the estuarine seawater (e.g. the mixture percentage between standard seawater and river water). In this study, we aimed to gain a clear situation of the seawater intrusion in Laizhou Bay, Southern Bohai, China. The issue aforementioned was investigated by comparing the stable isotopic and hydrochemical composition of the marine and river water collected in this area. Samples investigated include 5 surface water samples collected at the downstream of the Bailanghe and 7 seawater samples near the estuary of Laizhou Bay. Inert tracers (δD, δ18O, Cl, Br) and reaction tracers (Na, Mg, SO4, HCO3, Ca, NO3) are particularly analyzed. The major results are as follows: 1) All the river water samples fall below the Global Meteoric Water Line in the δD - δ18O diagram, reflecting evaporation of the upstream reservoir water. The seawater samples fall on the mixing line of standard seawater and the river water in the stable isotopic diagram. 2) The Cl-δ18O diagram indicates widespread dissolution of evaporate into the river, while high concentration of Ca and HCO3-, as well as the SO42- - Cl relation of the river water samples reflect the dissolution of CO2 , carbonate and sulfate in the atmosphere and on the ground. 3) The Br/Cl ratios of seawater samples are closed to the marine ratios. This together with the plots of major ions vs. Cl suggest that the seawater samples are originated from the mixture of standard seawater and river water. Therefore, when referring to the

Dynamic Underground Stripping Demonstration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aines, R.; Newmark, R.; McConachie, W.; Rice, D.; Ramirez, A.; Siegel, W.; Buettner, M.; Daily, W.; Krauter, P.; Folsom, E.; Boegel, A.J.; Bishop, D.; udel, K.

1992-03-01

LLNL is collaborating with the UC Berkeley College of Engineering to develop and demonstrate a system of thermal remediation and underground imaging techniques for use in rapid cleanup of localized underground spills. Called ''Dynamic Stripping'' to reflect the rapid and controllable nature of the process, it will combine steam injection, direct electrical heating, and tomographic geophysical imaging in a cleanup of the LLNL gasoline spill. In the first 8 months of the project, a Clean Site engineering test was conducted to prove the field application of the techniques before moving to the contaminated site in FY 92

Faraday's Law and Seawater Motion

Science.gov (United States)

De Luca, R.

2010-01-01

Using Faraday's law, one can illustrate how an electromotive force generator, directly utilizing seawater motion, works. The conceptual device proposed is rather simple in its components and can be built in any high school or college laboratory. The description of the way in which the device generates an electromotive force can be instructive not…

Variable response of three Trifolium repens ecotypes to soil flooding by seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Anissia C; Colmer, Timothy D; Cawthray, Greg R; Hanley, Mick E

2014-08-01

Despite concerns about the impact of rising sea levels and storm surge events on coastal ecosystems, there is remarkably little information on the response of terrestrial coastal plant species to seawater inundation. The aim of this study was to elucidate responses of a glycophyte (white clover, Trifolium repens) to short-duration soil flooding by seawater and recovery following leaching of salts. Using plants cultivated from parent ecotypes collected from a natural soil salinity gradient, the impact of short-duration seawater soil flooding (8 or 24 h) on short-term changes in leaf salt ion and organic solute concentrations was examined, together with longer term impacts on plant growth (stolon elongation) and flowering. There was substantial Cl(-) and Na(+) accumulation in leaves, especially for plants subjected to 24 h soil flooding with seawater, but no consistent variation linked to parent plant provenance. Proline and sucrose concentrations also increased in plants following seawater flooding of the soil. Plant growth and flowering were reduced by longer soil immersion times (seawater flooding followed by drainage and freshwater inputs), but plants originating from more saline soil responded less negatively than those from lower salinity soil. The accumulation of proline and sucrose indicates a potential for solute accumulation as a response to the osmotic imbalance caused by salt ions, while variation in growth and flowering responses between ecotypes points to a natural adaptive capacity for tolerance of short-duration seawater soil flooding in T. repens. Consequently, it is suggested that selection for tolerant ecotypes is possible should the predicted increase in frequency of storm surge flooding events occur. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aerobic methanotrophic communities at the Red Sea brine-seawater interface

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Rehab Z. Abdallah

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The central rift of the Red Sea contains 25 brine pools with different physicochemical conditions, dictating the diversity and abundance of the microbial community. Three of these pools, the Atlantis II, Kebrit and Discovery Deeps, are uniquely characterized by a high concentration of hydrocarbons. The brine-seawater interface, described as an anoxic-oxic (brine-seawater boundary, is characterized by a high methane concentration, thus favoring aerobic methane oxidation. The current study analyzed the aerobic free–living methane-oxidizing bacterial communities that potentially contribute to methane oxidation at the brine-seawater interfaces of the three aforementioned brine pools, using metagenomic pyrosequencing, 16S rRNA pyrotags and pmoA library constructs. The sequencing of 16S rRNA pyrotags revealed that these interfaces are characterized by high microbial community diversity. Signatures of aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria were detected in the Atlantis II Interface (ATII-I and the Kebrit Deep Upper (KB-U and Lower (KB-L brine-seawater interfaces. Through phylogenetic analysis of pmoA, we further demonstrated that the ATII-I aerobic methanotroph community is highly diverse. We propose four ATII-I pmoA clusters. Most importantly, cluster 2 groups with marine methane seep methanotrophs, and cluster 4 represent a unique lineage of an uncultured bacterium with divergent alkane monooxygenases. Moreover, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS based on the ordination of putative enzymes involved in methane metabolism showed that the Kebrit interface layers were distinct from the ATII-I and DD-I brine-seawater interfaces.

Substrate use of Pseudovibrio sp. growing in ultra-oligotrophic seawater.

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Anne Schwedt

Full Text Available Marine planktonic bacteria often live in habitats with extremely low concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM. To study the use of trace amounts of DOM by the facultatively oligotrophic Pseudovibrio sp. FO-BEG1, we investigated the composition of artificial and natural seawater before and after growth. We determined the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC, total dissolved nitrogen (TDN, free and hydrolysable amino acids, and the molecular composition of DOM by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR-MS. The DOC concentration of the artificial seawater we used for cultivation was 4.4 μmol C L(-1, which was eight times lower compared to the natural oligotrophic seawater we used for parallel experiments (36 μmol C L(-1. During the three-week duration of the experiment, cell numbers increased from 40 cells mL(-1 to 2x10(4 cells mL(-1 in artificial and to 3x10(5 cells mL(-1 in natural seawater. No nitrogen fixation and minor CO2 fixation (< 1% of cellular carbon was observed. Our data show that in both media, amino acids were not the main substrate for growth. Instead, FT-ICR-MS analysis revealed usage of a variety of different dissolved organic molecules, belonging to a wide range of chemical compound groups, also containing nitrogen. The present study shows that marine heterotrophic bacteria are able to proliferate with even lower DOC concentrations than available in natural ultra-oligotrophic seawater, using unexpected organic compounds to fuel their energy, carbon and nitrogen requirements.

Conceptual model: possible changes of the seawater uranium isotopic composition through time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowitzki, Hannah; Frank, Norbert; Fohlmeister, Jens [Universitaet Heidelberg (Germany)

2015-07-01

U behaves in seawater like a conservative element. More than 99% of the oceanic U content is {sup 238}U, whereas {sup 234}U is only present in trace amounts. As the residence time of U is significantly longer than the mixing time of the ocean, the ocean is well mixed with respect to U and its isotopic composition (Dunk 2002). Moreover, living corals incorporate U without isotopic fractionation. Therefore, the past seawater isotopic evolution of ({sup 234}U/{sup 238}U) can be accessed via U/Th age-dating of corals and the subsequent calculation of the initial ({sup 234}U/{sup 238}U) value. The isotopic ({sup 234}U/{sup 238}U) composition of seawater during the last 360 ka scatters around the modern seawater value (δ{sup 234}U ∼ (145±15) %, Henderson 2002). As these variations in the δ{sup 234}U value are rather small, a 'constant seawater isotopic composition hypothesis' is often used to validate U/Th ages of fossil corals. However, some authors find that the variability of the isotopic composition exceeds the expected range and suggest that it provides valuable information on variations in continental weathering and global run-off fluctuations or sea-level changes. This work will attempt to compare literature data of the seawater U isotopic composition to the results of a conceptual box-model of the oceanic U budget.

Studies on rare earth elements in seawater and uptake by marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, H.; Koyanagi, T.; Saiki, M.

1975-01-01

The contents of rare earth elements in marine environmental samples were determined by neutron activation analysis to examine the existing state in coastal seawater and the concentration by marine organisms of the elements. Seawater was filtered through a Millipore filter GS (pore size 0.22 μm), before the analysis. Some of the seawater was treated with HC1 solution before filtration and some after filtration. Certain marine organisms were also analysed for determination of rare earth elements. These were: flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus); yellowtails (Seriola quinqueradiata); immature anchovy (Engraulis japonica); clams (Meretrix lusoria); green algae (Ulva pertusa); brown algae (Hizikia fusiforme, Sargassum fulvellum, Undaria pinnatifida). In the seawater without HC1 treatment before filtration, considerable amounts of the elements existed in residue on the filter, whereas in the seawater treated with HC1 before filtration, the greater part remained in the dissolved state. Concentration factors calculated from the contents of stable elements, therefore, are affected remarkably by the existing state of the elements in seawater. If only the dissolved state is assumed available for marine organisms, values one order higher are attained compared with the case where total amounts of the elements were used for the calculation. However, the contribution of the insoluble state seems to be not negligible with some organisms. The higher concentration factors for immature anchovy and clams observed in this study were considered to be caused by surface adsorption of elements in particulate form and also ingested sediment with high element concentration. (author)

Degradation of basalt fibre and glass fibre/epoxy resin composites in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Bin; Cao Hailin; Song Shenhua

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → BFRP degradation process in seawater environment was first investigated. → The mass gain change includes two effects: absorption and extraction. → The interfacial adhesion of BFRP is bigger than GFRP. → After treated, the bending strength of BFRP is lower than GFRP. → Reducing the Fe 2+ in the basalt fibre could lead to a higher stability of BFRP. - Abstract: Epoxy resins reinforced, respectively, by basalt fibres and glass fibres were treated with a seawater solution for different periods of time. Both the mass gain ratio and the strength maintenance ratio of the composites were examined after the treatment. The fracture surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The tensile and bending strengths of the seawater treated samples showed a decreasing trend with treating time. In general, the anti-seawater corrosion property of the basalt fibre reinforced composites was almost the same as that of the glass fibre reinforced ones. Based on the experimental results, possible corrosion mechanisms were explored, indicating that an effective lowering of the Fe 2+ content in the basalt fibre could lead to a higher stability for the basalt fibre reinforced composites in a seawater environment.

Multi-Sensor Detection with Particle Swarm Optimization for Time-Frequency Coded Cooperative WSNs Based on MC-CDMA for Underground Coal Mines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingjing Xu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a wireless sensor network (WSN technology adapted to underground channel conditions is developed, which has important theoretical and practical value for safety monitoring in underground coal mines. According to the characteristics that the space, time and frequency resources of underground tunnel are open, it is proposed to constitute wireless sensor nodes based on multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA to make full use of these resources. To improve the wireless transmission performance of source sensor nodes, it is also proposed to utilize cooperative sensors with good channel conditions from the sink node to assist source sensors with poor channel conditions. Moreover, the total power of the source sensor and its cooperative sensors is allocated on the basis of their channel conditions to increase the energy efficiency of the WSN. To solve the problem that multiple access interference (MAI arises when multiple source sensors transmit monitoring information simultaneously, a kind of multi-sensor detection (MSD algorithm with particle swarm optimization (PSO, namely D-PSO, is proposed for the time-frequency coded cooperative MC-CDMA WSN. Simulation results show that the average bit error rate (BER performance of the proposed WSN in an underground coal mine is improved significantly by using wireless sensor nodes based on MC-CDMA, adopting time-frequency coded cooperative transmission and D-PSO algorithm with particle swarm optimization.

Multi-Sensor Detection with Particle Swarm Optimization for Time-Frequency Coded Cooperative WSNs Based on MC-CDMA for Underground Coal Mines.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jingjing; Yang, Wei; Zhang, Linyuan; Han, Ruisong; Shao, Xiaotao

2015-08-27

In this paper, a wireless sensor network (WSN) technology adapted to underground channel conditions is developed, which has important theoretical and practical value for safety monitoring in underground coal mines. According to the characteristics that the space, time and frequency resources of underground tunnel are open, it is proposed to constitute wireless sensor nodes based on multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) to make full use of these resources. To improve the wireless transmission performance of source sensor nodes, it is also proposed to utilize cooperative sensors with good channel conditions from the sink node to assist source sensors with poor channel conditions. Moreover, the total power of the source sensor and its cooperative sensors is allocated on the basis of their channel conditions to increase the energy efficiency of the WSN. To solve the problem that multiple access interference (MAI) arises when multiple source sensors transmit monitoring information simultaneously, a kind of multi-sensor detection (MSD) algorithm with particle swarm optimization (PSO), namely D-PSO, is proposed for the time-frequency coded cooperative MC-CDMA WSN. Simulation results show that the average bit error rate (BER) performance of the proposed WSN in an underground coal mine is improved significantly by using wireless sensor nodes based on MC-CDMA, adopting time-frequency coded cooperative transmission and D-PSO algorithm with particle swarm optimization.

Deep Seawater Intrusion Enhanced by Geothermal Through Deep Faults in Xinzhou Geothermal Field in Guangdong, China

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, G.; Ou, H.; Hu, B. X.; Wang, X.

2017-12-01

This study investigates abnormal sea water intrusion from deep depth, riding an inland-ward deep groundwater flow, which is enhanced by deep faults and geothermal processes. The study site Xinzhou geothermal field is 20 km from the coast line. It is in southern China's Guangdong coast, a part of China's long coastal geothermal belt. The geothermal water is salty, having fueled an speculation that it was ancient sea water retained. However, the perpetual "pumping" of the self-flowing outflow of geothermal waters might alter the deep underground flow to favor large-scale or long distant sea water intrusion. We studied geochemical characteristics of the geothermal water and found it as a mixture of the sea water with rain water or pore water, with no indication of dilution involved. And we conducted numerical studies of the buoyancy-driven geothermal flow in the deep ground and find that deep down in thousand meters there is favorable hydraulic gradient favoring inland-ward groundwater flow, allowing seawater intrude inland for an unusually long tens of kilometers in a granitic groundwater flow system. This work formed the first in understanding geo-environment for deep ground water flow.

Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation of ERT Data for Numerical Modeling of Seawater Intrusion in a Laboratory Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Véronique Bouzaglou

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers is a worldwide problem exacerbated by aquifer overexploitation and climate changes. To limit the deterioration of water quality caused by saline intrusion, research studies are needed to identify and assess the performance of possible countermeasures, e.g., underground barriers. Within this context, numerical models are fundamental to fully understand the process and for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed solutions to contain the saltwater wedge; on the other hand, they are typically affected by uncertainty on hydrogeological parameters, as well as initial and boundary conditions. Data assimilation methods such as the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF represent promising tools that can reduce such uncertainties. Here, we present an application of the EnKF to the numerical modeling of a laboratory experiment where seawater intrusion was reproduced in a specifically designed sandbox and continuously monitored with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT. Combining EnKF and the SUTRA model for the simulation of density-dependent flow and transport in porous media, we assimilated the collected ERT data by means of joint and sequential assimilation approaches. In the joint approach, raw ERT data (electrical resistances are assimilated to update both salt concentration and soil parameters, without the need for an electrical inversion. In the sequential approach, we assimilated electrical conductivities computed from a previously performed electrical inversion. Within both approaches, we suggest dual-step update strategies to minimize the effects of spurious correlations in parameter estimation. The results show that, in both cases, ERT data assimilation can reduce the uncertainty not only on the system state in terms of salt concentration, but also on the most relevant soil parameters, i.e., saturated hydraulic conductivity and longitudinal dispersivity. However, the sequential approach is more prone to

Novel extractants with high selectivity for valuable metals in seawater. Calixarene derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakoi, Takahiko; Goto, Masahiro

1997-01-01

Seawater contains various valuable metals such as uranium and lithium. Therefore, attempts are being made to develop highly selective extractants which recognize target metal ions in reclaimed seawater. In this review, we have focused our study on the application of novel cyclic compound calixarene based extractants. A novel host compound calixarene, which is a cyclic compound connecting some phenol rings, is capable of forming several different extractant ring sizes and introducing various kinds of functional groups towards targeting of metal ions in seawater. Therefore, calixarene derivatives are capable of extracting valuable metals such as uranium, alkaline metals, heavy metals, rare earth metals and noble metals selectively by varying structural ring size and functional groups. The novel host compound calixarene has given promising results which line it up as a potential extractant for the separation of valuable metal ions in seawater. (author)

Concentration of 99Tc in seawater by coprecipitation with iron hydroxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Momoshima, Noriyuki; Eto, Ichiro; Muhammad Sayad; Takashima, Yoshimasa

1991-01-01

A method for accumulation of 99 Tc in seawater has been developed. Technetium tracer in +VII oxidation state was added to the seawater together with reducing agent, potassium pyrosulfite, and coprecipitation agent, ferric chloride. After reduction of Tc(VII) at pH 4, Tc(IV) was coprecipitated as iron hydroxide by addition of sodium hydroxide to pH 9. The reduction and coprecipitation was quantitative and overall recovery of Tc was more than 98%. The green color of iron precipitate formed at pH 9 suggested that Tc(VII) as well as ferric ion was reduced under this condition. Adsorption of Tc(IV), however, was poor for iron hydroxide which was prepared in advance indicating active surface of freshly precipitated iron hydroxide is necessary for quantitative recovery of Tc(IV). A repeating coprecipitation technique was examined for enrichment of Tc in seawater that the same iron was used repeatedly as coprecipitater. After separation of iron hydroxide with Tc(IV) from supernatant, the precipitate was dissolved by addition of acid and then new seawater which contained reducing agent and Tc(VII) was added. Reduction and coprecipitation was again carried out. Good recovery was attained for 7 repeats. The proposed repeating coprecipitation technique was applicable to a large amount of seawater without increasing the amount of iron hydroxide which is subjected to radiochemical analysis. (author)

Anthropogenic 236U in Danish Seawater: Global Fallout versus Reprocessing Discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Jixin; Steier, Peter; Nielsen, Sven; Hou, Xiaolin; Roos, Per; Golser, Robin

2017-06-20

This work focuses on the occurrence of 236 U in seawater along Danish coasts, which is the sole water-exchange region between the North Sea-Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. Seawater collected in 2013 and 2014 were analyzed for 236 U (as well as 238 U and 137 Cs). Our results indicate that 236 U concentrations in Danish seawater are distributed within a relatively narrow range of (3.6-8.2) × 10 7 atom/L and, to a certain extent, independent of salinity. 236 U/ 238 U atomic ratios in Danish seawater are more than 4 times higher than the estimated global fallout value of 1× 10 -9 . The levels of 236 U/ 238 U atomic ratios obtained are comparable to those reported for the open North Sea and much higher than several other open oceans worldwide. This indicates that besides the global fallout input, the discharges from the two major European nuclear reprocessing plants are dominating sources of 236 U in Danish seawater. However, unexpectedly high 236 U/ 238 U ratios as well as high 236 U concentrations were observed at low-salinity locations of the Baltic Sea. While this feature might be interpreted as a clue for another significant 236 U input in the Baltic Sea, it may also be caused by the complexity of water currents or slow turnover rate.

Cardiorespiratory upregulation during seawater acclimation in rainbow trout: effects on gastrointestinal perfusion and postprandial responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Brijs, Jeroen; Gräns, Albin; Ekström, Andreas; Olsson, Catharina; Axelsson, Michael; Sandblom, Erik

2016-05-01

Increased gastrointestinal blood flow is essential for euryhaline fishes to maintain osmotic homeostasis during the initial phase of a transition from freshwater to seawater. However, the cardiorespiratory responses and hemodynamic changes required for a successful long-term transition to seawater remain largely unknown. In the present study, we simultaneously measured oxygen consumption rate (ṀO2), cardiac output (CO), heart rate (HR), and gastrointestinal blood flow (GBF) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) acclimated to either freshwater or seawater for at least 6 wk. Seawater-acclimated trout displayed significantly elevated ṀO2 (day: 18%, night: 19%), CO (day: 22%, night: 48%), and GBF (day: 96%, night: 147%), demonstrating that an overall cardiorespiratory upregulation occurs during seawater acclimation. The elevated GBF was achieved via a combination of increased CO, mediated through elevated stroke volume (SV), and a redistribution of blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract. Interestingly, virtually all of the increase in CO of seawater-acclimated trout was directed to the gastrointestinal tract. Although unfed seawater-acclimated trout displayed substantially elevated cardiorespiratory activity, the ingestion of a meal resulted in a similar specific dynamic action (SDA) and postprandial GBF response as in freshwater-acclimated fish. This indicates that the capacity for the transportation of absorbed nutrients, gastrointestinal tissue oxygen delivery, and acid-base regulation is maintained during digestion in seawater. The novel findings presented in this study clearly demonstrate that euryhaline fish upregulate cardiovascular function when in seawater, while retaining sufficient capacity for the metabolic and cardiovascular changes associated with the postprandial response. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Diseases of uranium miners and other underground miners exposed to radon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samet, J.M.

1991-01-01

Excess lung cancer has been demonstrated in many groups of underground miners exposed to radon, including uranium miners and those mining other substances in radon-contaminated mines. In the United States, most underground uranium mines had shut down by the late 1980s, but occupational exposure to radon progeny remains a concern for many other types of underground miners and other underground workers. Worldwide, uranium mining continues, with documented production in Canada, South Africa and other African countries, and Australia. Thus, radon in underground mines remains a significant occupational hazard as the end of the twentieth century approaches.39 references

Underground laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bettini, A., E-mail: Bettini@pd.infn.i [Padua University and INFN Section, Dipartimento di Fisca G. Galilei, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova (Italy); Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc, Plaza Ayuntamiento n1 2piso, Canfranc (Huesca) (Spain)

2011-01-21

Underground laboratories provide the low radioactive background environment necessary to frontier experiments in particle and nuclear astrophysics and other disciplines, geology and biology, that can profit of their unique characteristics. The cosmic silence allows to explore the highest energy scales that cannot be reached with accelerators by searching for extremely rare phenomena. I will briefly review the facilities that are operational or in an advanced status of approval around the world.

Underground gasification and combustion brown with the use of groundwater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zholudyev S.V.

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The problems of coal excavation and environement protection are priority for Ukraine. Underground coal gasification (UCG and underground coal incineration (UCI are combining excavation with simultaneous underground processing in entire technological process, capable to solve this problem. Using an intermediate heat carrier - ground water may optimisating of these processes.

Seawater desalination using small and medium light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimamura, Kazuo

2000-01-01

Water is an essential substance for sustaining human life. As Japan is an island country, surrounded by the sea and having abundant rainfall, there is no scarcity of water in daily life except during abnormally dry summers or after disasters such as earthquakes. Consequently, there is hardly any demand for seawater desalination plants except on remote islands, Okinawa and a part of Kyushu. However, the IAEA has forecast a scarcity of drinking water in developing countries at the beginning of the 21st century. Further, much more irrigation water will be required every year to prevent cultivated areas from being lost by desertification. If developing countries were to produce such water by seawater desalination using current fossil fuel energy technology, it would cause increased air pollution and global warming. This paper explains the concept of seawater desalination plants using small and medium water reactors (hereinafter called 'nuclear desalination'), as well as important matters regarding the export nuclear desalination plants to developing countries. (author)

Nanophase modified fly ash concrete with superior concrete properties, durability and biofouling resistance for seawater applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vishwakarma, Vinita; Sudha, U.; Ramachandran, D.; George, R.P.; Kamachi Mudali, U.; Kalpana Kumari; Preetha, R.; Pillai, C.S.

2015-01-01

There are many concrete structures in the cooling water system of nuclear power plants that are exposed to seawater in the form of tanks, pillars and reservoirs. These structures come in contact with aggressive chlorides and acid producing microbes and deteriorate by chemical and biological factors. Recently fly ash (FA) concrete has emerged exhibiting excellent degradation resistance in seawater environments. However some disadvantages are reported like lesser early strength, higher carbonation and calcium leaching. This work attempted to modify FA concrete by adding nanoparticles of TiO 2 and CaCO 3 for increased strength and degradation resistance. Four types of concrete and mortar mix namely fly ash concrete (FA), FA with 2% TiO 2 nanoparticles (FAT), FA with 2% CaCO 3 nanoparticles and FA with 2% TiO 2 : CaCO 3 nanoparticles were cast and immersed in seawater for a year. Thermal analysis and Differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) analysis was done before exposing in sea water to know the changes in the physical properties of the specimens at higher temperature. Strength and durability were evaluated using parameters like compressive strength, split tensile test, Rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT), carbonation test and pH degradation. Detailed biofilm characterizations were attempted using microbiological and molecular biology tools to study the antibacterial properties. Calcium leaching and sulfate attack studies were carried out by laboratory exposure studies. Using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), microstructural properties and chemical phases were identified. All the nanophase modified FA specimens showed superior properties compared to FA concrete with respect to strength, carbonation depth, calcium leaching and antibacterial activity. Results are discussed in detail in the paper. (author)

Different Planctomycetes diversity patterns in latitudinal surface seawater of the open sea and in sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Qinglong; Jiao, Nianzhi

2008-04-01

The 16S rRNA gene approach was applied to investigate the diversity of Planctomycetes in latitudinal surface seawater of the Western Pacific Ocean. The results revealed that the Pirellula-Rhodopirellula-Blastopirellula clade dominated the Planctomycetes community at all surface seawater sites while the minority genera Gemmata and Planctomyces were only found at sites H5 and H2 respectively. Although the clone frequency of the PRB clade seemed stable (between 83.3% and 94.1%) for all surface seawater sites, the retrieved Pirellula-Rhodopirellula-Blastopirellula clade presented unexpected diversity. Interestingly, low latitude seawater appeared to have higher diversity than mid-latitudes. integral-LIBSHUFF software analysis revealed significantly different diversity patterns between in latitudinal surface seawater and in the sediment of South China Sea station M2896. Our data suggested that different hydrological and geographic features contributed to the shift of Planctomycetes diversity in marine environments. This is, to our knowledge, the first systematic assessment of Planctomycetes in latitudinal surface seawater of the open sea and the first comparison of diversity pattern between surface seawater and sediments and has broadened our understanding of Planctomycetes diversity in marine environments.

Structural design and dynamic analysis of underground nuclear reactor containments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kierans, T.W.; Reddy, D.V.; Heale, D.G.

1975-01-01

Present actual experience in the structural design of undeground containments is limited to only four rather small reactors all located in Europe. Thus proposals for future underground reactors depend on the transposition of applicable design specifications, constraints and criteria from existing surface nuclear power plants to underground, and the use of many years of experience in the structural design of large underground cavities and cavity complexes for other purposes such as mining, hydropower stations etc. An application of such considerations in a recent input for the Underground Containment sub-section of the Seismic Task Group Report to the ASCE Committee for Nuclear Structures and Materials is presented as follows: underground concept considerations, siting criteria and structural selection, structural types, analytical and semi-analytical approaches, design and other miscellaneous considerations

About working of the research program on development of underground space of Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kartoziya, B.A.

1995-01-01

Basic proposition relative to the developed federal program on scientific research in the area of assimilating underground space in Russia are presented. The underground objects are divided by their purpose into four groups: 1) underground objects of house-hold purpose (energy and mining complex, industrial enterprises, storages, garages, etc); 2) underground objects of social purpose (libraries, shops, restaurants, etc); 3) underground objects of ecological purpose (storages, disposal sites for radioactive wastes and hazardous substances, dangerous productions, etc); 4) underground objects of defense purpose. Trends in the scientific-research program formation, relative to underground space assimilation are enumerated. 7 refs

Tritium analysis in environmental samples around Nuclear Power Plants and nationwide surveillance of radionuclides in some environmental samples(meat and drinking water)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Yong Woo; Han, Man Jung; Cho, Seong Won; Cho, Hong Jun; Oh, Hyeon Kyun; Lee, Jeong Min; Chang, Jae Sook [KORTIC, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2001-12-15

12 kind of environmental samples such as soil, underground water, seawater, etc. around the Nuclear Power Plants(NPP) and surface seawater around the Korea peninsula were sampled, For the samples of rain, pine-needle, air, seawater, underground water, chinese cabbage, grain of rice and milk sampled around NPP, and surface seawater and rain sampled all around country, tritium concentration was measured, The tritium concentration in the tap water and the gamma activity in the domestic and imported beef that were sampled at ward in the large city in Korea(Seoul, Pusan, Taegu, Taejun, Inchun, Kwangju) were analyzed for the meat and drinking waters. As the results of analyzing, tritium concentration in rain and tap water were very low all around country, but a little higher around the NPP than general surrounding. At the Wolsung NPP, tritium concentration was descend according to distance from the stack. Tritium activity of surface seawater around the Korea peninsula was also, very low. The measured radioactive elements in the beef is the same as the radioactive elements on the earth surface.

Background intercomparison with escape-suppressed germanium detectors in underground mines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szuecs, Tamas; Bemmerer, Daniel [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden (Germany)

2014-07-01

A key requirement for underground nuclear astrophysics experiments is the very low background level in germanium detectors underground. The reference for these purposes is the world's so far only underground accelerator laboratory for nuclear astrophysics, LUNA. LUNA is located deep underground in the Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy, shielded from cosmic rays by 1400 m of rock. The background at LUNA was studied in detail using an escape-suppressed Clover-type HPGe detector. Exactly the same detector was subsequently transported to the Felsenkeller underground laboratory in Dresden, shielded by 45 m of rock, and the background was shown to be only a factor of three higher than at LUNA when comparing the escape-suppressed spectra, with interesting consequences for underground nuclear astrophysics. As the next step of a systematic study of the effects of a combination of active and passive shielding on the cosmic ray induced background, this detector is now being brought to the ''Reiche Zeche'' mine in Freiberg/Sachsen, shielded by 150 m of rock. The data from the Freiberg measurement are shown and discussed.

New Technologies for Seawater Desalination Using Nuclear Energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

As seawater desalination technologies are rapidly evolving and more States are opting for dual purpose integrated power plants (i.e. cogeneration), the need for advanced technologies suitable for coupling to nuclear power plants and leading to more efficient and economic nuclear desalination systems is obvious. The Coordinated Research Programme (CRP) New Technologies for Seawater Desalination using Nuclear Energy was organized in the framework of the Technical Working Group on Nuclear Desalination (TWG-ND). The TWGND was established in 2008 with the purpose of advising the IAEA Deputy Director General and promoting the exchange of technical information on national programmes in the field of seawater desalination using nuclear energy. This CRP project was conducted within the Nuclear Power Technology Development Section of the IAEA. It was launched in 2009 and completed by 2011, with research proposals received from nine Member States: Algeria, Egypt, France, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The project aimed to review innovative technologies for seawater desalination which could be coupled to main types of existing nuclear power plant. Such coupling is expected to help making nuclear desalination safer and more economical, and hence more attractive for newcomer States interested in nuclear desalination. The project also aimed to collect ideas and suggestions necessary to update the IAEA desalination economic evaluation program (DEEP) software to become more robust and versatile. The specific objectives of the project were the introduction of innovative technologies and their economic viability, which could help make nuclear desalination a globally viable option for the safe and sustainable production of fresh water. The technologies under scrutiny in this CRP involve the low temperature horizontal tube multi-effect distillation, heat recovery systems using heat pipe based heat exchangers

Analytical approximations to seawater optical phase functions of scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Haltrin, Vladimir I.

2004-11-01

This paper proposes a number of analytical approximations to the classic and recently measured seawater light scattering phase functions. The three types of analytical phase functions are derived: individual representations for 15 Petzold, 41 Mankovsky, and 91 Gulf of Mexico phase functions; collective fits to Petzold phase functions; and analytical representations that take into account dependencies between inherent optical properties of seawater. The proposed phase functions may be used for problems of radiative transfer, remote sensing, visibility and image propagation in natural waters of various turbidity.

Seawater desalination plant using nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED process

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2000-01-01

A small size plant for seawater desalination using nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED process was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, China. This seawater desalination plant was designed to supply potable water demand to some coastal location or island where both fresh water and energy source are severely lacking. It is also recommended as a demonstration and training facility for seawater desalination using nuclear energy. The design of small size of seawater desalination plant couples two proven technologies: Nuclear Heating Reactor (NHR) and Multi-Effect Destination (MED) process. The NHR design possesses intrinsic and passive safety features, which was demonstrated by the experiences of the project NHR-5. The intermediate circuit and steam circuit were designed as the safety barriers between the NHR reactor and MED desalination system. Within 10～200 MWt of the power range of the heating reactor, the desalination plant could provide 8000 to 150,000 m3/d of high quality potable water. The design concept and parameters, safety features and coupling scheme are presented.

Seawater desalination plant using nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Shaorong; Dong Duo; Zhang Dafang; Wang Xiuzhen

2000-01-01

A small size plant for seawater desalination using nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED process was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, China. this seawater desalination plant was designed to supply potable water demand to some coastal location or island where both fresh water and energy source are severely lacking. It is also recommended as a demonstration and training facility for seawater desalination using nuclear energy. The design of small size of seawater desalination plant couples two proven technologies: Nuclear Heating Reactor (NHR) and Multi-Effect Destination (MED) process. The NHR design possesses intrinsic and passive safety features, which was demonstrated by the experiences of the project NHR-5. the intermediate circuit and steam circuit were designed as the safety barriers between the NHR reactor and MED desalination system. Within 10-200 MWt of the power range of the heating reactor, the desalination plant could provide 8000 to 150,000 m 3 /d of high quality potable water. The design concept and parameters, safety features and coupling scheme are presented

Seawater spray injury to Quercus acutissima leaves: crystal deposition, stomatal clogging, and chloroplast degeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ki Woo; Koo, Kyosang; Kim, Pan-Gi

2011-05-01

Effects of seawater spray on leaf structure were investigated in Quercus acutissima by electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis. Two-year-old seedlings of Q. acutissima were sprayed with seawater and kept in a greenhouse maintained at 25°C. The most recognizable symptoms of seawater-sprayed seedlings included leaf necrosis, crystal deposition, stomatal clogging, and chloroplast degeneration. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that the leaf surface was covered with additional layers of remnants of seawater spray. Composed of sodium and chloride, cube-shaped crystals (halite) were prevalently found on trichomes and epidermis, and formed aggregates. Meanwhile, wedge-shaped crystals were deposited on epidermis and consisted of calcium and sulfur. As a result of stomatal clogging by crystal deposition on the abaxial surface, it was conceivable that plant respiration became severely hampered. Transmission electron microscopy showed degenerated cytoplasm of seawater-sprayed leaves. It was common to observe severe plasmolysis and disrupted chloroplasts with a reduced number of thylakoids in grana. These results indicate that foliar applications of seawater were sufficient to induce necrosis of Q. acutissima seedlings as an abiotic disturbance factor. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Comparative decay of Catellicoccus marimmalium and enterococci in beach sand and seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Kendra I; Boehm, Alexandria B

2015-10-15

Most studies characterize microbial source tracking (MST) target performance using sensitivity and specificity metrics. However, it is important to also consider the temporal stability of MST targets in relation to regulated microbial pollutants. Differences among bacterial target stabilities may lead to erroneous conclusions about sources of contamination. The present study evaluates the relative stability of MST targets and fecal indicator organisms using the gull/pigeon-associated Catellicoccus marimammalium (CAT) marker and enterococci (ENT). The decay rates of CAT and ENT measured by culture (cENT) and QPCR (tENT) were compared in sand and seawater laboratory microcosms under environmentally relevant conditions (subject to tidal wetting versus no wetting in sand, and sunlit versus dark conditions in seawater). Bacterial targets were more persistent in beach sand than in seawater with decay rates on the order of 0.01-0.1 per day and 1 to 10 per day, respectively. Targets were more persistent in unwetted compared to wetted sand, and dark compared to sunlit seawater. During the first 8 days of the sand experiment, the decay rate k of CAT was greater than that of cENT. The decay rates of CAT, tENT, and cENT were similar in sand after day 8 and in dark seawater. In sunlit seawater, the decay rates were different between targets with kcENT > kCAT > ktENT. The decay rates presented here are useful for fate and transport models and also inform the use of MST marker concentrations to infer ENT sources in the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Connected Cities : Guide to good practice underground space

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Hoeven, F.D.; Hobma, W.

2007-01-01

This guide to good practice underground space is developed within the framework of the EU-funded INTERREG IIIC project ‘Connected Cities’. It focuses on how a strategic use of underground space can facilitate sustainable modes of transportation and mobility in urban and rural areas. Twelve strategic

Development of Novel Sorbents for Uranium Extraction from Seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Wenbin [Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States); Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2014-01-08

As the uranium resource in terrestrial ores is limited, it is difficult to ensure a long-term sustainable nuclear energy technology. The oceans contain approximately 4.5 billion tons of uranium, which is one thousand times the amount of uranium in terrestrial ores. Development of technologies to recover the uranium from seawater would greatly improve the uranium resource availability, sustaining the fuel supply for nuclear energy. Several methods have been previously evaluated including solvent extraction, ion exchange, flotation, biomass collection, and adsorption; however, none have been found to be suitable for reasons such as cost effectiveness, long term stability, and selectivity. Recent research has focused on the amidoxime functional group as a promising candidate for uranium sorption. Polymer beads and fibers have been functionalized with amidoxime functional groups, and uranium adsorption capacities as high as 1.5 g U/kg adsorbent have recently been reported with these types of materials. As uranium concentration in seawater is only ~3 ppb, great improvements to uranium collection systems must be made in order to make uranium extraction from seawater economically feasible. This proposed research intends to develop transformative technologies for economic uranium extraction from seawater. The Lin group will design advanced porous supports by taking advantage of recent breakthroughs in nanoscience and nanotechnology and incorporate high densities of well-designed chelators into such nanoporous supports to allow selective and efficient binding of uranyl ions from seawater. Several classes of nanoporous materials, including mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs), meta-organic frameworks (MOFs), and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), will be synthesized. Selective uranium-binding liagnds such as amidoxime will be incorporated into the nanoporous materials to afford a new generation of sorbent materials that will be

Development of Novel Sorbents for Uranium Extraction from Seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Wenbin; Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn

2014-01-01

As the uranium resource in terrestrial ores is limited, it is difficult to ensure a long-term sustainable nuclear energy technology. The oceans contain approximately 4.5 billion tons of uranium, which is one thousand times the amount of uranium in terrestrial ores. Development of technologies to recover the uranium from seawater would greatly improve the uranium resource availability, sustaining the fuel supply for nuclear energy. Several methods have been previously evaluated including solvent extraction, ion exchange, flotation, biomass collection, and adsorption; however, none have been found to be suitable for reasons such as cost effectiveness, long term stability, and selectivity. Recent research has focused on the amidoxime functional group as a promising candidate for uranium sorption. Polymer beads and fibers have been functionalized with amidoxime functional groups, and uranium adsorption capacities as high as 1.5 g U/kg adsorbent have recently been reported with these types of materials. As uranium concentration in seawater is only ~3 ppb, great improvements to uranium collection systems must be made in order to make uranium extraction from seawater economically feasible. This proposed research intends to develop transformative technologies for economic uranium extraction from seawater. The Lin group will design advanced porous supports by taking advantage of recent breakthroughs in nanoscience and nanotechnology and incorporate high densities of well-designed chelators into such nanoporous supports to allow selective and efficient binding of uranyl ions from seawater. Several classes of nanoporous materials, including mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs), meta-organic frameworks (MOFs), and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), will be synthesized. Selective uranium-binding liagnds such as amidoxime will be incorporated into the nanoporous materials to afford a new generation of sorbent materials that will be

77 FR 56717 - Specifications for Medical Examinations of Underground Coal Miners

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-13

... CFR Part 37 Specifications for Medical Examinations of Underground Coal Miners; Final Rule #0;#0... 0920-AA21 Specifications for Medical Examinations of Underground Coal Miners AGENCY: Centers for... medical examinations of underground coal miners. Existing regulations established specifications for...

Comment on: 'The strontium isotopic composition of seawater and seawater-oceanic crust interaction' by E.T.C. Spooner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brass, G.W.; Turekian, K.L.

1977-01-01

Various processes have been proposed as the source of strontium to the oceans but there is no evidence to support the mechanism of release of relatively unradiogenic strontium from deep dea basalts to sea-water. (B.D.)

Evaluation method of radon preventing effect in underground construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Shaodong; Deng Yuequan; Dong Faqin; Qu Ruixue; Xie Zhonglei

2014-01-01

Background: It's difficult to evaluate the radon prevention effect because of the short operating time of measuring instrument under the circumstances of high humidity in underground construction. Purpose: A new rapid method to evaluate the radon prevention efficiency of underground construction was introduced. Methods: The radon concentrations before and after shielding operation were determined, and according to the regularity of radon decay, the shielding rate can be calculated. Results: The results showed that radon shielding rate in underground construction remains generally stable with variation of time, and the actual relatively standard deviation was 3.95%. So the rapid determination and evaluation of radon preventing effect under special conditions in underground construction can be realized by taking shielding rate in a short time for the final shielding rate. Compared with those by the local static method in ground lab, the results were similar. Conclusion: This paper provided a prompt, accurate and practicable way for the evaluation of radon prevention in underground construction, having a certain reference value. (authors)

Fugacity analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between microplastics and seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hwang; Chang, Sein; Kim, Seung-Kyu; Kwon, Jung-Hwan

2017-03-01

Recently, the accumulation of plastic debris in the marine environment has become a great concern worldwide. Although plastics are biologically and chemically inert, plastic debris has been suspected of causing adverse effects on ecosystems due to the increase in reactivity by size reduction and/or micropollutants associated with plastics. Because of the high sorption capacity of microplastics toward organic micropollutants, it is suspected that microplastics may play roles in the distribution and fate of micropollutants. In order to quantitatively evaluate the "net flow" of environmental contaminants in water-plastic-organism systems, a fugacity analysis was conducted using concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in open oceans and in polyethylene as a representative material of plastic debris. Ratio of fugacity in polyethylene to that in seawater showed a decreasing trend with increasing partition coefficient between polyethylene and seawater (KPE/sw). This indicates that phase equilibrium between polyethylene and seawater is not attained for higher molecular weight PAHs. Disequilibrium of high molecular weight PAHs suggests that transfer from seawater to plastic debris is thermodynamically driven and the role of plastic debris as a vector to transfer them to living organisms would be minimal. However, additives may slowly migrate from plastics into the environment causing potentially serious effects on ecosystems.

Physiological indices of seawater readiness in postspawning steelhead kelts

Science.gov (United States)

Buelow, Jessica; Moffitt, Christine M.

2015-01-01

Management goals to improve the recovery of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) stocks at risk of extinction include increasing the proportion of postspawning fish that survive and spawn again. To be successful, postspawning steelhead (kelts) migrating downstream to the ocean must prepare physiologically and physically for a seawater transition. We sampled blood, gill filaments, and evaluated the external condition of migrating kelts from an ESA-listed population in the Snake/Columbia River system over two consecutive years to evaluate their physiological readiness for transition to seawater. We chose attributes often considered as measures of preparation for seawater in juveniles, including gill Na+,K+ ATPase activity, plasma electrolytes and hormones to consider factors related to external condition, size and sex. We found kelts in good external condition had plasma profiles similar to downstream-migrating smolts. In addition, we found more than 80% of kelts ranked in good external condition had smolt-like body silvering. We compared measures from migrating kelts with samples obtained from hatchery fish at the time of spawning to confirm that Na+, K+ ATPase activity in kelts was significantly elevated over spawning fish. We found significant differences in gill Na+, K+ ATPase activity in migrating kelts between the years of sampling, but little indication of influence of fish condition. We conclude that the postspawning steelhead sampled exhibited a suite of behaviours, condition and physiology characteristic of fish prepared for successful transition to a seawater environment.

Algal blooms: an emerging threat to seawater reverse osmosis desalination

KAUST Repository

Villacorte, Loreen O.

2014-08-04

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination technology has been rapidly growing in terms of installed capacity and global application over the last decade. An emerging threat to SWRO application is the seasonal proliferation of microscopic algae in seawater known as algal blooms. Such blooms have caused operational problems in SWRO plants due to clogging and poor effluent quality of the pre-treatment system which eventually forced the shutdown of various desalination plants to avoid irreversible fouling of downstream SWRO membranes. This article summarizes the current state of SWRO technology and the emerging threat of algal blooms to its application. It also highlights the importance of studying the algal bloom phenomena in the perspective of seawater desalination, so proper mitigation and preventive strategies can be developed in the near future. © 2014 © 2014 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Algal blooms: an emerging threat to seawater reverse osmosis desalination

KAUST Repository

Villacorte, Loreen O.; Tabatabai, S. Assiyeh Alizadeh; Dhakal, N.; Amy, Gary L.; Schippers, Jan Cornelis; Kennedy, Maria Dolores

2014-01-01

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination technology has been rapidly growing in terms of installed capacity and global application over the last decade. An emerging threat to SWRO application is the seasonal proliferation of microscopic algae in seawater known as algal blooms. Such blooms have caused operational problems in SWRO plants due to clogging and poor effluent quality of the pre-treatment system which eventually forced the shutdown of various desalination plants to avoid irreversible fouling of downstream SWRO membranes. This article summarizes the current state of SWRO technology and the emerging threat of algal blooms to its application. It also highlights the importance of studying the algal bloom phenomena in the perspective of seawater desalination, so proper mitigation and preventive strategies can be developed in the near future. © 2014 © 2014 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Sm-Nd in marine carbonates and phosphates: implications for Nd isotopes in seawater and crustal ages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, H.F.; Wasserburg, G.J.

1985-01-01

This study explores the possibility of establishing Nd isotopic variations in seawater over geologic time. Calcite, aragonite and apatite are examined as possible phases recording seawater values of epsilonsubNd. Modern, biogenic and inorganically precipitated calcite and aragonite from marine environments were found to have Nd concentrations of from 0.2 to 70 ppb, showing that primary marine CaCO 3 contains little REE and that Nd/Ca is not greatly enhanced relative to seawater during carbonate precipitation. Very young marine limestone and dolomite containing no continental detritus have approx. 200 ppb Nd. All the carbonates are LREE enriched. Modern and very young Atlantic and Pacific carbonates have epsilonsub(Nd) in the range of shallow Atlantic and Pacific seawater respectively, implying that they derive their REE from local seawater. The Nd in well preserved carbonate fossils is 4 ppb, much greater than in their modern counterparts but like the high values found for carbonates in other studies. Results are also reported for apatite. They suggest that sedimentary apatite can be used to determine epsilonsub(Nd)(T) in ancient seawater. The seawater values so inferred range between -1.7 and -8.9 over the last 700 my and lie in the range of modern seawater, showing no evidence for drastic changes. (U.K.)

Morpholino Gene Knockdown in Adult Fundulus heteroclitus: Role of SGK1 in Seawater Acclimation

Science.gov (United States)

Notch, Emily G.; Shaw, Joseph R.; Coutermarsh, Bonita A.; Dzioba, Marisa; Stanton, Bruce A.

2011-01-01

The Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is an environmental sentinel organism used extensively for studies on environmental toxicants and salt (NaCl) homeostasis. Previous research in our laboratory has shown that rapid acclimation of killifish to seawater is mediated by trafficking of CFTR chloride channels from intracellular vesicles to the plasma membrane in the opercular membrane within the first hour in seawater, which enhances chloride secretion into seawater, thereby contributing to salt homeostasis. Acute transition to seawater is also marked by an increase in both mRNA and protein levels of serum glucocorticoid kinase 1 (SGK1) within 15 minutes of transfer. Although the rise in SGK1 in gill and its functional analog, the opercular membrane, after seawater transfer precedes the increase in membrane CFTR, a direct role of SGK1 in elevating membrane CFTR has not been established in vivo. To test the hypothesis that SGK1 mediates the increase in plasma membrane CFTR we designed two functionally different vivo-morpholinos to knock down SGK1 in gill, and developed and validated a vivo-morpholino knock down technique for adult killifish. Injection (intraperitoneal, IP) of the splice blocking SGK1 vivo-morpholino reduced SGK1 mRNA in the gill after transition from fresh to seawater by 66%. The IP injection of the translational blocking and splice blocking vivo-morpholinos reduced gill SGK1 protein abundance in fish transferred from fresh to seawater by 64% and 53%, respectively. Moreover, knock down of SGK1 completely eliminated the seawater induced rise in plasma membrane CFTR, demonstrating that the increase in SGK1 protein is required for the trafficking of CFTR from intracellular vesicles in mitochondrion rich cells to the plasma membrane in the gill during acclimation to seawater. This is the first report of the use of vivo-morpholinos in adult killifish and demonstrates that vivo-morpholinos are a valuable genetic tool for this environmentally

Enhancement of Extraction of Uranium from Seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Sheikhly, Mohamad; Dietz, Travis; Tsinas, Zois; Tomaszewski, Claire; Pazos, Ileana M.; Nigliazzo, Olga; Li, Weixing; Adel-Hadadi, Mohamad; Barkatt, Aaron

2016-01-01

Even at a concentration of 3 @@g/L, the world@@@s oceans contain a thousand times more uranium than currently know terrestrial sources. In order to take advantage of this stockpile, methods and materials must be developed to extract it efficiently, a difficult task considering the very low concentration of the element and the competition for extraction by other atoms in seawater such as sodium, calcium, and vanadium. The majority of current research on methods to extract uranium from seawater are vertical explorations of the grafting of amidoxime ligand, which was originally discovered and promoted by Japanese studies in the late 1980s. Our study expands on this research horizontally by exploring the effectiveness of novel uranium extraction ligands grafted to the surface of polymer substrates using radiation. Through this expansion, a greater understanding of uranium binding chemistry and radiation grafting effects on polymers has been obtained. While amidoxime-functionalized fabrics have been shown to have the greatest extraction efficiency so far, they suffer from an extensive chemical processing step which involves treatment with powerful basic solutions. Not only does this add to the chemical waste produced in the extraction process and add to the method@@@s complexity, but it also significantly impacts the regenerability of the amidoxime fabric. The approach of this project has been to utilize alternative, commercially available monomers capable of extracting uranium and containing a carbon-carbon double bond to allow it to be grafted using radiation, specifically phosphate, oxalate, and azo monomers. The use of commercially available monomers and radiation grafting with electron beam or gamma irradiation will allow for an easily scalable fabrication process once the technology has been optimized. The need to develop a cheap and reliable method for extracting uranium from seawater is extremely valuable to energy independence and will extend the quantity of

Prediction of underground argon content for dark matter experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, D.-M.; Spaans, J.; Keller, C.; Yin, Z.-B.; Koppang, M.; Hime, A.; Gehman, V. M.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of physical models to evaluate the production of 39 Ar and 40 Ar underground. Considering both cosmogenic 39 Ar production and radiogenic 40 Ar production in situ and from external sources, we can derive the ratio of 39 Ar to 40 Ar in underground sources. We show for the first time that the 39 Ar production underground is dominated by stopping negative muon capture on 39 K and (α,n) induced subsequent 39 K(n,p) 39 Ar reactions. The production of 39 Ar is shown as a function of depth. We demonstrate that argon depleted in 39 Ar can be obtained only if the depth of the underground resources is greater than 500 m.w.e. below the surface. Stopping negative muon capture on 39 K dominates over radiogenic production at depths of less than 2000 m.w.e., and that production by muon-induced neutrons is subdominant at any depth. The depletion factor depends strongly on both radioactivity level and potassium content in the rock. We measure the radioactivity concentration and potassium concentration in the rock for a potential site of an underground argon source in South Dakota. Depending on the probability of 39 Ar and 40 Ar produced underground being dissolved in the water, the upper limit of the concentration of 39 Ar in the underground water at this site is estimated to be in a range of a factor of 1.6 to 155 less than the 39 Ar concentration in the atmosphere. The calculation tools presented in this paper are also critical to the dating method with 39 Ar.

Underground Gas Storage in the World 2013 (fifth edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornot-Gandolphe, Sylvie

2013-06-01

Since its first publication in 1990, 'Underground Gas Storage in the World' has been the industry's reference on underground gas storage (UGS). The updated 2013 edition includes in-depth CEDIGAZ's analyses of the latest developments and trends in the storage industry all over the world as well as extensive country analyses with complete datasets including current, under construction and planned Underground Gas Storage facilities in 48 countries. It describes the 688 existing storage facilities in the world and the 236 projects under construction and planned. Future storage demand and its main drivers are presented at global and regional levels. The study builds on the CEDIGAZ Underground Gas Storage Database, the only worldwide Underground Gas Storage database to be updated every year. This document summarizes the key findings of the Survey which includes four main parts: The first part gives an overview of underground gas storage in the world at the beginning of 2013 and analyzes future storage needs by 2030, at regional and international levels. The second part focuses on new trends and issues emerging or developing in key storage markets. It analyzes the emerging storage market in China, reviews the storage business climate in Europe, examines Gazprom's storage strategy in Europe, and reviews recent trends in storage development in the United States. The third part gives some fundamental background on technical, economic and regulatory aspects of gas storage. The fourth part gives a countrywide analysis of the 48 countries in the world holding underground gas storage facilities or planning storage projects. 48 countries are surveyed with 688 existing UGS facilities, 256 projects under construction or planned

30 CFR 57.4161 - Use of fire underground.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Use of fire underground. 57.4161 Section 57.4161 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Fire Prevention...

Recent work at MIT on uranium recovery from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driscoll, M.J.

1984-01-01

Recent work at MIT has confirmed the superiority of fiber-form ion exchange media for uranium recovery from seawater, subject to demonstration of the ability to control fouling by suspended particulate matter. Calculations and laboratory experiments indicate loading rates of several hundred ppm U/day: an order of magnitude faster than for bead-type sorbers in fixed or fluidized beds. A high performance, modular, sorber cartridge/seawater contactor system capable of a lifetime-levelized cost of product in the range 100-150 $/1b U 3 O 8 has been designed. (author)

Determination of trace metals in coastal seawater around Okinawa and its multielement profiling analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Akihide; Ishigaki, Teruyuki; Arakaki, Teruo; Yamada, Ayako; Yamaguchi, Mami; Kabe, Noriko

2009-01-01

In the present study, trace metals in coastal surface seawater around Okinawa were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with chelating disk preconcentration. As a result, the concentrations of V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Pb, and U were obtained in the range from 10 μgL -1 to 0.001 μgL -1 for 6 samples. In addition, multielement profiling analyses were carried out using analytical values obtained in order to elucidate the features of trace metals in each coastal sea area. For coastal surface seawater near an urban area, the analytical values for Zn, Cu, Mn, and Pb were higher by more than 10-fold the literature values for open-surface seawater, and those of Cd were also relatively high. Such a trend concerning the multi-element profile was almost similar to the literature values for coastal seawater of the main island of Japan. On the other hand, the analytical values of most elements for coastal surface seawater near a suburb area were in the range from 0.5 to 5 fold, compared to the literature values for open surface seawater. From multielement profiling analyses for nutrient type elements in marine chemistry, it was suggested that the concentrations of Zn and Cd in a coral sea area normalized to literature values for open surface-seawater were higher than those of Ni and Cu. (author)

Polysubstance Use Patterns in Underground Rave Attenders: A Cluster Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Calderon, Fermin; Lozano, Oscar M.; Vidal, Claudio; Ortega, Josefa Gutierrez; Vergara, Esperanza; Gonzalez-Saiz, Francisco; Bilbao, Izaskun; Caluente, Marta; Cano, Tomas; Cid, Francisco; Dominguez, Celia; Izquierdo, Emcarni; Perez, Maria I.

2011-01-01

Drug use in mainstream rave parties has been widely documented in a large number of studies. However, not much is known about drug use in underground raves. The purpose of this study is to find out the polysubstance use patterns at underground raves. Two hundred and fifty-two young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who went to underground raves…

Underground gas storage in the World - 2013 (fifth Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornot-Gandolphe, Sylvie

2013-07-01

Since its first publication in 1990, 'Underground Gas Storage in the World' has been the industry's reference on underground gas storage (UGS). The updated 2013 edition includes in-depth CEDIGAZ's analyses of the latest developments and trends in the storage industry all over the world as well as extensive country analyses with complete datasets including current, under construction and planned Underground Gas Storage facilities in 48 countries. It describes the 688 existing storage facilities in the world and the 236 projects under construction and planned. Future storage demand and its main drivers are presented at global and regional levels. 'Underground Gas Storage in the World 2013' builds on the CEDIGAZ Underground Gas Storage Database, the only worldwide Underground Gas Storage database to be updated every year. The Survey includes four main parts: The first part gives an overview of underground gas storage in the world at the beginning of 2013 and analyzes future storage needs by 2030, at regional and international levels. The second part focuses on new trends and issues emerging or developing in key storage markets. It analyzes the emerging storage market in China, reviews the storage business climate in Europe, examines Gazprom's storage strategy in Europe, and reviews recent trends in storage development in the United States. The third part gives some fundamental background on technical, economic and regulatory aspects of gas storage. The fourth part gives a countrywide analysis of the 48 countries in the world holding underground gas storage facilities or planning storage projects. 48 countries surveyed, 688 existing UGS facilities, 256 projects under construction or planned. The document includes 70 tables, 72 charts and figures, 44 country maps. The countries surveyed are: Europe : Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland

Location of leaks in pressurized underground pipelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckert, E.G.; Maresca, J.W. Jr.

1993-01-01

Millions of underground storage tanks (UST) are used to store petroleum and other chemicals. The pressurized underground pipelines associated with USTs containing petroleum motor fuels are typically 2 in. in diameter and 50 to 200 ft in length. These pipelines typically operate at pressures of 20 to 30 psi. Longer lines, with diameters up to 4 in., are found in some high-volume facilities. There are many systems that can be used to detect leaks in pressurized underground pipelines. When a leak is detected, the first step in the remediation process is to find its location. Passive-acoustic measurements, combined with advanced signal-processing techniques, provide a nondestructive method of leak location that is accurate and relatively simple, and that can be applied to a wide variety of pipelines and pipeline products

Research on application of mobile diesel equipment in underground mines (IV)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-01

This research commenced in 1994 for the purpose of providing safety and environmental measures of underground mines where the mobile diesel equipment are operating. In this last research year, researches on filtering of diesel particulate matter, design of underground layout and disaster prevention have been carried out. 1) A study to reduce DPM(Diesel Particulate Matter) emission: It was known that water scrubber is only one practical way to reduce DPM emission as of now. There are several kinds of the sophisticated DPM filters, but it is not practical yet to be used in underground equipment due to the many adverse effects of the devices such as tremendous increase of SOx, NOx and back pressure etc. 2) Design of underground layout and their maintenance: Layout of underground structure has to be designed based on rock mechanical analysis and the concept of active support has to be adopted considering the large openings are requested to accommodate heavy duty diesel equipment in underground. Rock bolt and shotcrete will be the most applicable method to support such a large dimensional tunnels. 3) A study for disaster prevention in the case of the underground fire: There are two categories of possible disaster or hazard in workings where diesel equipment are operating. One is the disasters by exhaust pollutants and the other is the underground fire. (author). 35 refs., 27 tabs., 56 figs.

Solar irradiance limits the long-term survival of Listeria monocytogenes in seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

NicAogáin, K; Magill, D; O'Donoghue, B; Conneely, A; Bennett, C; O'Byrne, C P

2018-03-01

Seafood has often been implicated in outbreaks of food-borne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes but the source of contamination is usually not known. In this study we investigated the possibility that this pathogen could survive in seawater for an extended time period. Freshly collected seawater samples were inoculated with 1 × 10 8  CFU per ml of L. monocytogenes EGD-e and survival was monitored by plate counting for up to 25 days. When incubated in the dark, either at ambient temperatures (4-14°C) or at 16°C, >10 4  CFU per ml survivors were present after 25 days. However, when the seawater cell suspensions were exposed to ambient light (solar irradiation) and temperatures, L. monocytogenes lost viability rapidly and no survivors could be detected after the 80 h time point. Both UV-A and visible light in the blue region of the spectrum (470 nm) were found to contribute to this effect. The stress inducible sigma factor σ B was found to play a role in survival of L. monocytogenes in seawater. Together these data demonstrate that solar irradiation is a critical determinant of L. monocytogenes survival in marine environments. The data further suggest the possibility of controlling this food-borne pathogen in food-processing environments using visible light. Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne bacterial pathogen capable of causing the life-threatening infection, listeriosis. In seafood the route of contamination from the environment is often not well understood as this pathogen is not generally thought to survive well in seawater. Here we provide evidence that L. monocytogenes is capable of surviving for long periods of time in seawater when light is excluded. Sunlight is demonstrated to have a significant effect on the survival of this pathogen in seawater, and both visible (470 nm) and UV-A light are shown to contribute to this effect. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Symbiotic Role of the Viable but Nonculturable State of Vibrio fischeri in Hawaiian Coastal Seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, K; Ruby, E G

1995-01-01

To achieve functional bioluminescence, the developing light organ of newly hatched juveniles of the Hawaiian squid Euprymna scolopes must become colonized by luminous, symbiosis-competent Vibrio fischeri present in the ambient seawater. This benign infection occurs rapidly in animals placed in seawater from the host's natural habitat. Therefore, it was surprising that colony hybridization studies with a V. fischeri-specific luxA gene probe indicated the presence of only about 2 CFU of V. fischeri per ml of this infective seawater. To examine this paradox, we estimated the total concentration of V. fischeri cells present in seawater from the host's habitat in two additional ways. In the first approach, the total bacterial assemblage in samples of seawater was collected on polycarbonate membrane filters and used as a source of both a crude cell lysate and purified DNA. These preparations were then assayed by quantitative DNA-DNA hybridization with the luxA gene probe. The results suggested the presence of between 200 and 400 cells of V. fischeri per ml of natural seawater, a concentration more than 100 times that revealed by colony hybridization. In the second approach, we amplified V. fischeri-specific luxA sequences from microliter volumes of natural seawater by PCR. Most-probable-number analyses of the frequency of positive PCR results from cell lysates in these small volumes gave an estimate of the concentration of V. fischeri luxA gene targets of between 130 and 1,680 copies per ml. From these measurements, we conclude that in their natural seawater environment, the majority of V. fischeri cells become nonculturable while remaining viable and symbiotically infective. Experimental studies indicated that V. fischeri cells suspended in natural Hawaiian seawater enter such a state within a few days.

Oxidative stress in the hydrocoral Millepora alcicornis exposed to CO2-driven seawater acidification

Science.gov (United States)

Luz, Débora Camacho; Zebral, Yuri Dornelles; Klein, Roberta Daniele; Marques, Joseane Aparecida; Marangoni, Laura Fernandes de Barros; Pereira, Cristiano Macedo; Duarte, Gustavo Adolpho Santos; Pires, Débora de Oliveira; Castro, Clovis Barreira e.; Calderon, Emiliano Nicolas; Bianchini, Adalto

2018-06-01

Global impacts are affecting negatively coral reefs' health worldwide. Ocean acidification associated with the increasing CO2 partial pressure in the atmosphere can potentially induce oxidative stress with consequent cellular damage in corals and hydrocorals. In the present study, parameters related to oxidative status were evaluated in the hydrocoral Millepora alcicornis exposed to three different levels of seawater acidification using a mesocosm system. CO2-driven acidification of seawater was performed until reaching 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 pH units below the current pH of seawater pumped from the coral reef adjacent to the mesocosm. Therefore, treatments corresponded to control (pH 8.1), mild (pH 7.8), intermediate (pH 7.5) and severe (pH 7.2) seawater acidification. After 0, 16 and 30 d of exposure, hydrocorals were collected and the following parameters were analyzed in the holobiont: antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP), total glutathione (GSHt) concentration, reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl group (PC) levels. ACAP was increased in hydrocorals after 16 d of exposure to intermediate levels of seawater acidification. GSHt and GSH/GSSG did not change over the experimental period. LPO was increased at any level of seawater acidification, while PC content was increased in hydrocorals exposed to intermediate and severe seawater acidification for 30 d. These findings indicate that the antioxidant defense system of M. alcicornis is capable of coping with acidic conditions for a short period of time (16 d). Additionally, they clearly show that a long-term (30 d) exposure to seawater acidification induces oxidative stress with consequent oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, which could compromise hydrocoral health.

Table Salt from Seawater (Solar Evaporation). What We Take from Our Environment. Science and Technology Education in Philippine Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Philippines Univ., Quezon City. Science Education Center.

This module discusses methods of obtaining table salt from seawater. Topic areas considered include: (1) obtaining salt by solar evaporation of seawater in holes; (2) obtaining salt by boiling seawater in pots; (3) how table salt is obtained from seawater in the Philippines; and (4) methods of making salt by solar evaporation of seawater in the…

Recovery of lithium from seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ooi, Kenta; Miyai, Yoshitaka; Katoh, Shunsaku; Abe, Mitsuo.

1989-01-01

Lithium has been used for air conditioners, aluminum refining, ceramics, organic metal compounds, batteries and many other uses. Besides, attention is paid as the aluminum-lithium alloys as aircraft materials, and the raw materials for large capacity batteries and nuclear fusion reactors for the future. The amount of lithium resources has been estimated as 14 million tons, and is relatively abundant, but when the future increase of demand is considered, it is not necessarily sufficient. Japan lacks lithium resources, and the stable ensuring of the resources has become an important problem. Seawater contains lithium by 170 μg/l, and its total amount reaches 230 billion tons. The process of recovering lithium from seawater, geothermal water and natural gas brine has been actively researched since 10 years ago centering around Japan. At present, the search for the adsorbent that effectively collects lithium is the main subject. Also the recovery by coprecipitation has been investigated basically. The inorganic adsorbent for lithium is classified into aluminum type, compound antimonic acid type, layered compound type, ion sieve oxide type and others. Their lithium adsorption performance and adsorption mechanism are different remarkably, therefore, these of each group are described. (K.I.) 70 refs

Physics of multiple muons in underground detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaisser, T.K.; Stanev, T.

1982-01-01

We summarize results of Monte Carlo simulations of underground muons with a set of parametrizations for number and lateral distribution of muons at various detector depths. We also describe the size distributions of accompanying showers at the surface. We give some illustrations of the use of these results to study the surface-underground correlation and to interpret preliminary results of the Soudan-I detector presented at this conference

Exposure to seawater increases intestinal motility in euryhaline rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Science.gov (United States)

Brijs, Jeroen; Hennig, Grant W; Gräns, Albin; Dekens, Esmée; Axelsson, Michael; Olsson, Catharina

2017-07-01

Upon exposure to seawater, euryhaline teleosts need to imbibe and desalinate seawater to allow for intestinal ion and water absorption, as this is essential for maintaining osmotic homeostasis. Despite the potential benefits of increased mixing and transport of imbibed water for increasing the efficiency of absorptive processes, the effect of water salinity on intestinal motility in teleosts remains unexplored. By qualitatively and quantitatively describing in vivo intestinal motility of euryhaline rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), this study demonstrates that, in freshwater, the most common motility pattern consisted of clusters of rhythmic, posteriorly propagating contractions that lasted ∼1-2 min followed by a period of quiescence lasting ∼4-5 min. This pattern closely resembles mammalian migrating motor complexes (MMCs). Following a transition to seawater, imbibed seawater resulted in a significant distension of the intestine and the frequency of MMCs increased twofold to threefold with a concomitant reduction in the periods of quiescence. The increased frequency of MMCs was also accompanied by ripple-type contractions occurring every 12-60 s. These findings demonstrate that intestinal contractile activity of euryhaline teleosts is dramatically increased upon exposure to seawater, which is likely part of the overall response for maintaining osmotic homeostasis as increased drinking and mechanical perturbation of fluids is necessary to optimise intestinal ion and water absorption. Finally, the temporal response of intestinal motility in rainbow trout transitioning from freshwater to seawater coincides with previously documented physiological modifications associated with osmoregulation and may provide further insight into the underlying reasons shaping the migration patterns of salmonids. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Development of pre-concentration procedure for the determination of Hg isotope ratios in seawater samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Štrok, Marko; Hintelmann, Holger; Dimock, Brian

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The method for the quantitative pre-concentration of Hg from seawater was developed. • First report of Hg isotope ratios in seawater is presented. • A unique mass independent 200 Hg isotope fractionation was observed. • This fractionation has unique potential to distinguish anthropogenic and natural Hg. - Abstract: Hg concentrations in seawater are usually too low to allow direct (without pre-concentration and removal of salt matrix) measurement of its isotope ratios with multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Therefore, a new method for the pre-concentration of Hg from large volumes of seawater was developed. The final method allows for relatively fast (about 2.5 L h −1 ) and quantitative pre-concentration of Hg from seawater samples with an average Hg recovery of 98 ± 6%. Using this newly developed method we determined Hg isotope ratios in seawater. Reference seawater samples were compared to samples potentially impacted by anthropogenic activity. The results show negative mass dependent fractionation relative to the NIST 3133 Hg standard with δ 202 Hg values in the range from −0.50‰ to −1.50‰. In addition, positive mass independent fractionation of 200 Hg was observed for samples from reference sites, while impacted sites did not show significant Δ 200 Hg values. Although the influence of the impacted sediments is limited to the seawater and particulate matter in very close proximity to the sediment, this observation may raise the possibility of using Δ 200 Hg to distinguish between samples from impacted and reference sites

Productivity Improvement in Underground Coal Mines - A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devi Prasad Mishra

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Improvement of productivity has become an important goal for today's coal industry in the race to increase price competitiveness. The challenge now lying ahead for the coal industry is to identify areas of waste, meet the market price and maintain a healthy profit. The only way to achieve this is to reduce production costs by improving productivity, efficiency and the effectiveness of the equipment. This paper aims to identify the various factors and problems affecting the productivity of underground coal mines adopting the bord and pillar method of mining and to propose suitable measures for improving them. The various key factors affecting productivity, namely the cycle of operations, manpower deployment, machine efficiency, material handling and management of manpower are discussed. In addition, the problem of side discharge loader (SDL cable handling resulting in the wastage of precious manpower resources and SDL breakdown have also been identified and resolved in this paper.

Responses of an Agricultural Soil Microbiome to Flooding with Seawater after Managed Coastal Realignment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamilla S. Sjøgaard

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Coastal areas have become more prone to flooding with seawater due to climate-change-induced sea-level rise and intensified storm surges. One way to cope with this issue is by “managed coastal realignment”, where low-lying coastal areas are no longer protected and instead flooded with seawater. How flooding with seawater impacts soil microbiomes and the biogeochemical cycling of elements is poorly understood. To address this, we conducted a microcosm experiment using soil cores collected at the nature restoration project site Gyldensteen Strand (Denmark, which were flooded with seawater and monitored over six months. Throughout the experiment, biogeochemical analyses, microbial community fingerprinting and the quantification of marker genes documented clear shifts in microbiome composition and activity. The flooding with seawater initially resulted in accelerated heterotrophic activity that entailed high ammonium production and net removal of nitrogen from the system, also demonstrated by a concurrent increase in the abundances of marker genes for ammonium oxidation and denitrification. Due to the depletion of labile soil organic matter, microbial activity decreased after approximately four months. The event of flooding caused the largest shifts in microbiome composition with the availability of labile organic matter subsequently being the most important driver for the succession in microbiome composition in soils flooded with seawater.

Sea-level rise impacts on seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers: Review and integration

Science.gov (United States)

Ketabchi, Hamed; Mahmoodzadeh, Davood; Ataie-Ashtiani, Behzad; Simmons, Craig T.

2016-04-01

Sea-level rise (SLR) influences groundwater hydraulics and in particular seawater intrusion (SWI) in many coastal aquifers. The quantification of the combined and relative impacts of influential factors on SWI has not previously been considered in coastal aquifers. In the present study, a systematic review of the available literature on this topic is first provided. Then, the potential remaining challenges are scrutinized. Open questions on the effects of more realistic complexities such as gradual SLR, parameter uncertainties, and the associated influences in decision-making models are issues requiring further investigation. We assess and quantify the seawater toe location under the impacts of SLR in combination with recharge rate variations, land-surface inundation (LSI) due to SLR, aquifer bed slope variation, and changing landward boundary conditions (LWBCs). This is the first study to include all of these factors in a single analysis framework. Both analytical and numerical models are used for these sensitivity assessments. It is demonstrated that (1) LSI caused by SLR has a significant incremental impact on the seawater toe location, especially in the flatter coasts and the flux-controlled (FC) LWBCs, however this impact is less than the reported orders of magnitude differences which were estimated using only analytical solutions; (2) LWBCs significantly influence the SLR impacts under almost all conditions considered in this study; (3) The main controlling factors of seawater toe location are the magnitudes of fresh groundwater discharge to sea and recharge rate. Regional freshwater flux entering from the landward boundary and the groundwater hydraulic gradient are the major contributors of fresh groundwater discharge to sea for both FC and head-controlled (HC) systems, respectively; (4) A larger response of the aquifer and larger seawater toe location changes are demonstrable for a larger ratio of the aquifer thickness to the aquifer length particularly in

Measurement of the Dielectric Constant of Seawater at L-Band: Techniques and Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, R.; Utku, C.; Tarkocin, Y.; LeVine, D.

2009-01-01

Satellite instruments, that will monitor salinity from space in the near future, require an accurate relationship between salinity/temperature and seawater dielectric constant. This paper will review measurements that were made of the dielectric constant of seawater during the past several years. The objective of the measurements is to determine the dependence of the dielectric constant of seawater on salinity and on temperature, more accurately than in the past. by taking advantage of modem instrumentation. The measurements of seawater permittivity have been performed as a function of salinity and temperature using a transmission resonant cavity technique. The measurements have been made in the salinity range of 10 to 38 psu and in the temperature range of IOU C to 35 C. These results will be useful in algorithm development for sensor systems such as SMOS and Aquarius. The measurement system consists of a brass microwave cavity that is resonant at 1.413 GHz. The seawater is introduced into the cavity through a capillary glass tube having an inner diameter of 0.1 mm. The diameter of the tube has been made very small so that the amount of seawater introduced in the cavity is small - thus maintaining the sensitivity of the measurements and allowing the use of perturbation theory predicting the seawater permittivity. The change in resonant frequency and the change in cavity Q can be used to determine the real and imaginary pare of the dielectric constant of seawater introduced into the slender tube. The microwave measurements are made by an HPS722D network analyzer. The cavity has been immersed in a uateriethylene-glycol bath which is connected to a Lauda circulator. The circulator keeps the brass cavity at a temperature constant to within 0.01 degrees. The system is automated using a Visual Basic program to control the analyzer and to collect the data. The results of the dielectric constant measurements of seawater will be presented. The measurement results will be

Extracting Uranium from Seawater: Benefits, Risks and Policy Implication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ismail, Aznan Fazli; Yim, Man-Sung; Marsh, Matthew [KAIST, Daejon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

One of the key issues that need to be addressed regarding the future of nuclear power is the availability of uranium. The most economical way to this day of providing uranium for nuclear energy has been through conventional mining. However, the current projection of the well-known, easily obtainable sources of uranium indicates that global nuclear industry can be supported through the end of the century under the once-through cycle. It, however, could be extended up to 250 years if the speculative uranium sources are taken into account. Uranium is also available in seawater. Extracting uranium from seawater has both pros and cons. The only main obstacles at this point is it not economically competitive compared to the conventional mining. Solving this issue will open up a new era of the way of extracting uranium to meet the future requirement of nuclear energy. As the uranium seawater extraction technology is rapidly being developed and might become feasible in the near future, an appropriate mechanism are required to safeguard the extraction technology.

Organ nic pollutants in underground water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, H. H.

1998-01-01

Many organic compounds have been diagnosed in underground and surface waters, and there are many theories that explain the source of the dangerous materials on Punic health. The source of pollution could be the underground stored fuel or the polluted water in farms saturated with agricultural insecticides and chemical fertilizers, or there could be leaks in sewage water wastes. The source of pollution could also be the water surfaces in the areas of garbage disposal or industrial and home waste discharge. Due to the fact that the underground water is separated from oxygen in the air, its ability on self-purification is very low, in that the micro-organism that will do the dismantling and decomposition of the organic materials that pollute the water are in need for oxygen. In the event that underground water is subject to pollution m there are many methods for t resting the polluted water including the chemical decomposition method by injecting the polluted areas with neutralizing or oxidizing chemicals, such as Ozone, Chlorine or Hydrogen Peroxide. The mechanical methods could be used for getting rid of the volatile organic materials. As to biological decomposition, it is done with the use of bacteria in dismantling the poisonous materials into un poisonous materials. The preliminary analysis of water samples in one of the water wells in Sar ir and Tazarbo in Great Jamahirieh indicated that the concentration of total organic compounds (TOC) exceeded the internationally allowed limits. This indicates a deterioration of quality of some of underground water resources. It is well known that some of the organic pollutants have a great role in causing dangerous diseases, such as the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and some halogenated compounds that cause cancer. Therefore, much research is required in this field for diagnosing the polluting organic compounds and determining the suitability of this water for drinking or for human consumption. (author). 21 refs., 6 figs

Potential Advantages of Underground Nuclear Parks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, Carl W.; Elkins, Ned Z.; Kunze, Jay F.; Mahar, James M.

2006-01-01

In this paper we argue that an underground nuclear park (UNP) could potentially lead to lower capital and operating cost for the reactors installed in the UNP compared to the traditional approach, which would be to site the reactors at the earth's surface at distributed locations. The UNP approach could also lead to lower waste management cost. A secondary benefit would be the increased margins of safety and security that would be realized simply as a consequence of siting the reactors underground. Lowered capital and operating cost for a UNP relative to traditional reactor siting is possible through the aggregate effect of the elimination of containment structures, in-place decommissioning, reduced physical security costs, reduced weather-related costs, reduced cost of liability insurance and reduced unit-cost for the nth reactor made possible through the continuous construction of multiple reactors at the same underground location. Other cost reductions might be possible through the transfer of the capital cost for part of the underground construction from the reactor owners to the owners of the UNP. Lower waste management cost is possible by siting the UNP at a location where there are geological and hydrological conditions suitable for hosting both the reactors and the repository for the waste from those reactors. After adequate storage and cooling, and assuming direct disposal, this would enable the spent fuel from the reactors to be transported directly to the repository and remain entirely underground during the transport process. Community concerns and transportation costs would be significantly reduced relative to current situations where the reactors are separated from the repository by long distances and populated areas. The concept for a UNP in bedded salt is used to develop a rough order of magnitude cost estimate for excavation of the reactor array portion of a UNP. Excavation costs appear to be only a small fraction of the overall power plant costs

The Underground Economy and Tax Evasion in Pakistan. A Fresh Assessment

OpenAIRE

Zafar Iqbal; Sarfraz Khan Qureshi; Riaz Mahmood

1998-01-01

This paper assesses the size of the underground ~conomy and tax evasion in Pakistan for the period 1973-96. Using monetary approach, the results confirm the existence of large underground economy and higher tax evasion over the period under analysis. The overall underground economy has remarkably increased from 20 percent of GDP in 1973 to 51 percent of GDP in 1996. The evidence also suggests that the rate of growth in th~ underground economy has been higher than the rate of growth of the for...

Sulphide production and corrosion in seawaters during exposure to FAME diesel.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jason S; Ray, Richard I; Little, Brenda J; Duncan, Kathleen E; Oldham, Athenia L; Davidova, Irene A; Suflita, Joseph M

2012-01-01

Experiments were designed to evaluate the corrosion-related consequences of storing/transporting fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) alternative diesel fuel in contact with natural seawater. Coastal Key West, FL (KW), and Persian Gulf (PG) seawaters, representing an oligotrophic and a more organic- and inorganic mineral-rich environment, respectively, were used in 60 day incubations with unprotected carbon steel. The original microflora of the two seawaters were similar with respect to major taxonomic groups but with markedly different species. After exposure to FAME diesel, the microflora of the waters changed substantially, with Clostridiales (Firmicutes) becoming dominant in both. Despite low numbers of sulphate-reducing bacteria in the original waters and after FAME diesel exposure, sulphide levels and corrosion increased markedly due to microbial sulphide production. Corrosion morphology was in the form of isolated pits surrounded by an intact, passive surface with the deepest pits associated with the fuel/seawater interface in the KW exposure. In the presence of FAME diesel, the highest corrosion rates measured by linear polarization occurred in the KW exposure correlating with significantly higher concentrations of sulphur and chlorine (presumed sulphide and chloride, respectively) in the corrosion products.

Seawater circulating system in an aquaculture laboratory

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chatterji, A.; Ingole, B.S.; Parulekar, A.H.

The note gives an account, for the first time in India, of an Aquaculture Laboratory with open type seawater circulating system developed at the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India. Besides describing the details of the system...

Determination of picomolar beryllium levels in seawater with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry following silica-gel preconcentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tazoe, Hirofumi, E-mail: tazoe@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp [Department of Radiation Chemistry, Institute of Radiation Emergency Mediation, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8564 (Japan); College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, 3-25-40, Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8550 (Japan); Yamagata, Takeyasu [College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, 3-25-40, Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8550 (Japan); Obata, Hajime [Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The Tokyo University, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8564 (Japan); Nagai, Hisao [College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, 3-25-40, Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8550 (Japan)

2014-12-10

Highlights: • We developesd the simplest and robust SPE method for ultra low picomolar level beryllium in seawater. • Just silica gel column can quantitatively adsorb beryllium in neutral pH condition containing natural seawater. • EDTA solution can eliminate seawater matrixes retaining Be in the column, which optimize to ICP-MS detemination. • Accurate and precise Be data have been obtained for natural seawater from North Pacific Ocean. - Abstract: A robust and rapid method for the determination of natural levels of beryllium (Be) in seawater was developed to facilitate mapping Be concentrations in the ocean. A solid-phase extraction method using a silica gel column was applied for preconcentration and purification of Be in seawater prior to determination of Be concentrations with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Be was quantitatively adsorbed onto silica gel from solutions with pH values ranging from 6.3 to 9, including natural seawater. The chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid was used to remove other ions in the seawater matrix (Na, Mg, and Ca) that interfere with the ICP-MS analysis. The reproducibility of the method was 3% based on triplicate analyses of natural seawater samples, and the detection limit was 0.4 pmol kg{sup −1} for 250 mL of seawater, which is sufficient for the analysis of seawater in the open ocean. The method was then used to determine the vertical profile of Be in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, which was found to be a recycled-type profile in which the Be concentration increased with depth from the surface (7.2 pmol kg{sup −1} at <200 m) to deep water (29.2 pmol kg{sup −1} from 3500 m to the bottom)

Determination of picomolar beryllium levels in seawater with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry following silica-gel preconcentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tazoe, Hirofumi; Yamagata, Takeyasu; Obata, Hajime; Nagai, Hisao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We developesd the simplest and robust SPE method for ultra low picomolar level beryllium in seawater. • Just silica gel column can quantitatively adsorb beryllium in neutral pH condition containing natural seawater. • EDTA solution can eliminate seawater matrixes retaining Be in the column, which optimize to ICP-MS detemination. • Accurate and precise Be data have been obtained for natural seawater from North Pacific Ocean. - Abstract: A robust and rapid method for the determination of natural levels of beryllium (Be) in seawater was developed to facilitate mapping Be concentrations in the ocean. A solid-phase extraction method using a silica gel column was applied for preconcentration and purification of Be in seawater prior to determination of Be concentrations with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Be was quantitatively adsorbed onto silica gel from solutions with pH values ranging from 6.3 to 9, including natural seawater. The chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid was used to remove other ions in the seawater matrix (Na, Mg, and Ca) that interfere with the ICP-MS analysis. The reproducibility of the method was 3% based on triplicate analyses of natural seawater samples, and the detection limit was 0.4 pmol kg −1 for 250 mL of seawater, which is sufficient for the analysis of seawater in the open ocean. The method was then used to determine the vertical profile of Be in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, which was found to be a recycled-type profile in which the Be concentration increased with depth from the surface (7.2 pmol kg −1 at <200 m) to deep water (29.2 pmol kg −1 from 3500 m to the bottom)

Determination of radioactive strontium in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grahek, Zeljko; Rozmaric Macefat, Martina

2005-01-01

This paper describes the procedures of isolating strontium and yttrium from seawater that enable the determination of 89,90 Sr. In one procedure, strontium is directly isolated from seawater on the column filled with Sr resin by binding of strontium to the resin from 3 M HNO 3 in a seawater, and successive elution with HNO 3 . In others, strontium is precipitated from seawater with (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 , followed by isolation on a Sr column or an anion exchange column. It is shown that strontium precipitation is optimal with concentration of 0.3 M (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 at pH = 11. In these conditions, 100% Y, 78% Sr, 80% Ca and 50% Mg are precipitated. Strontium is bound on to Sr column from 5 to 8 M HNO 3 , separated from other elements by elution with 3 M HNO 3 and 0.05 M HNO 3 . Strontium and yttrium are bound on to anion exchange column from alcoholic solutions of nitric acid. The optimum mixture of alcohols for sample binding is a mixture of ethanol and methanol with the volume ratio 1:3. Strontium and yttrium are separated from Mg, Ca, K, and other elements by elution with 0.25 M HNO 3 in the mixture of ethanol and methanol. After the separation, yttrium and strontium are eluted from the column with water or methanol. In the procedure of direct isolation from 1 l of the sample, the average recovery of 50% was obtained. In the remaining two procedures, the strontium recovery was about 60% for the Sr column and 65% for anion exchange column. Recovery of yttrium is about 70% for the anion exchange column. It turned out that the procedure with the Sr resin (direct isolation and isolation after precipitation) is simpler and faster in the phase of the isolation on the column in comparison with the procedure with the anion exchanger. The procedure with the anion exchanger, however, enables the simultaneous isolation of yttrium and strontium and rapid determination of 89,90 Sr. These procedures were tested by determination of 89,90 Sr on liquid scintillation counter and Cherenkov

Underground storage of carbon dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Shoichi [Univ. of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku (Japan)

1993-12-31

Desk studies on underground storage of CO{sub 2} were carried out from 1990 to 1991 fiscal years by two organizations under contract with New Energy and Indestrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). One group put emphasis on application of CO{sub 2} EOR (enhanced oil recovery), and the other covered various aspects of underground storage system. CO{sub 2} EOR is a popular EOR method in U.S. and some oil countries. At present, CO{sub 2} is supplied from natural CO{sub 2} reservoirs. Possible use of CO{sub 2} derived from fixed sources of industries is a main target of the study in order to increase oil recovery and storage CO{sub 2} under ground. The feasibility study of the total system estimates capacity of storage of CO{sub 2} as around 60 Gton CO{sub 2}, if worldwide application are realized. There exist huge volumes of underground aquifers which are not utilized usually because of high salinity. The deep aquifers can contain large amount of CO{sub 2} in form of compressed state, liquefied state or solution to aquifer. A preliminary technical and economical survey on the system suggests favorable results of 320 Gton CO{sub 2} potential. Technical problems are discussed through these studies, and economical aspects are also evaluated.

Research on test of alkali-resistant glass fibre enhanced seawater coral aggregate concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Leiyang; Wang, Xingquan

2017-12-01

It is proposed in the 13th five-year plan that reefs of the south China sea should be constructed. In the paper, an innovative thinking was proposed for the first time in order to realize local material acquisition in island construction and life dependence on sea, namely alkali-resistant glass fibre is mixed in coralaggregate concrete as reinforcing material. The glass fibre is characterized by low price, low hardness, good dispersibility and convenient construction. Reliable guarantee is provided for widely applying the material in future projects. In the paper, an orthogonal test method is firstly applied to determine the mix proportion of grade C50 coral aggregate concrete. Then, the design plan ofmix proportion of alkali-resistant glass fibre enhanced seawater coral aggregate concrete is determined. Finally, the influence law of alkali-resistant glass fibre dosageon tensile compressiveflexture strength of seawatercoralaggregate concrete is made clear.

Activation of TRPV1-dependent calcium oscillation exacerbates seawater inhalation-induced acute lung injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Congcong; Bo, Liyan; Liu, Qingqing; Liu, Wei; Chen, Xiangjun; Xu, Dunquan; Jin, Faguang

2016-03-01

Calcium is an important second messenger and it is widely recognized that acute lung injury (ALI) is often caused by oscillations of cytosolic free Ca2+. Previous studies have indicated that the activation of transient receptor potential‑vanilloid (TRPV) channels and subsequent Ca2+ entry initiates an acute calcium‑dependent permeability increase during ALI. However, whether seawater exposure induces such an effect through the activation of TRPV channels remains unknown. In the current study, the effect of calcium, a component of seawater, on the inflammatory reactions that occur during seawater drowning‑induced ALI, was examined. The results demonstrated that a high concentration of calcium ions in seawater increased lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity and the secretion of inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) and interleukin (IL)‑1β and IL‑6. Further study demonstrated that the seawater challenge elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, indicated by [Ca2+]c, by inducing calcium influx from the extracellular medium via TRPV1 channels. The elevated [Ca2+c] may have resulted in the increased release of TNF‑α and IL‑1β via increased phosphorylation of nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB). It was concluded that a high concentration of calcium in seawater exacerbated lung injury, and TRPV1 channels were notable mediators of the calcium increase initiated by the seawater challenge. Calcium influx through TRPV1 may have led to greater phosphorylation of NF‑κB and increased release of TNF‑α and IL‑1β.

76 FR 14953 - Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Honolulu Seawater...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-18

... air conditioning system for downtown Honolulu buildings. In order to obtain deep, cold seawater to..., utilize, and return deep, cold seawater, Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC (applicant) proposes to... visiting the USACE Honolulu District Web site at http://www.poh.usace.army.mil and selecting ``Public...

Seawater 234U/238U recorded by modern and fossil corals

Science.gov (United States)

Chutcharavan, Peter M.; Dutton, Andrea; Ellwood, Michael J.

2018-03-01

U-series dating of corals is a crucial tool for generating absolute chronologies of Late Quaternary sea-level change and calibrating the radiocarbon timescale. Unfortunately, coralline aragonite is susceptible to post-depositional alteration of its primary geochemistry. One screening technique used to identify unaltered corals relies on the back-calculation of initial 234U/238U activity (δ234Ui) at the time of coral growth and implicitly assumes that seawater δ234U has remained constant during the Late Quaternary. Here, we test this assumption using the most comprehensive compilation to date of coral U-series measurements. Unlike previous compilations, this study normalizes U-series measurements to the same decay constants and corrects for offsets in interlaboratory calibrations, thus reducing systematic biases between reported δ234U values. Using this approach, we reassess (a) the value of modern seawater δ234U, and (b) the evolution of seawater δ234U over the last deglaciation. Modern coral δ234U values (145.0 ± 1.5‰) agree with previous measurements of seawater and modern corals only once the data have been normalized. Additionally, fossil corals in the surface ocean display δ234Ui values that are ∼5-7‰ lower during the last glacial maximum regardless of site, taxon, or diagenetic setting. We conclude that physical weathering of U-bearing minerals exposed during ice sheet retreat drives the increase in δ234U observed in the oceans, a mechanism that is consistent with the interpretation of the seawater Pb-isotope signal over the same timescale.

International activities concerning seismic effects on underground structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakala, W.W.

1982-01-01

At the 5th Annual Meeting of the ITA in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 15-17, 1979, the General Assembly approved the formation of the Working Group Seismic Effects on Underground Structures. The objectives of this Working Group are to: (1) collect data on earthquake damage to underground facilities throughout the world; (2) collect information on aseismic design procedures used within the various countries; and (3) synthesize the information and disseminate the results to the member nations of ITA. William W. Hakala of the US was designated the Animateur of the Working Group. The Working Group decided on the following sequential course of action to achieve the stated objectives: (1) continue to develop a bibliograhy on damages to underground structures by dynamic forces. This will be an ongoing activity of the Working Group; (2) each country is to develop a summary of case histories of earthquake damage to underground structures. These case histories will be discussed at the next meeting of the Working Group in order to identify those parameters that permit or prevent such damage; (3) the state-of-the-art paper on earthquake damage to underground opening being prepared in the US (John A. Blume and Associates, Engineers) is presently being printed and will then be distributed to the membership for comment. This report will form the basis for the activities described below; (4) the above activities should lead to a textbook - like document that provides a design philosophy for underground structures subjected to seismic forces; (5) the work tasks will suggest needed research to solve the identified problems. At each Working Group meeting the member nation delegates will provide a summary of research progress in their countries. These research needs will be documented, reviewed, revised, and disseminated on an annual basis

Reducing lighting electricity use in underground metro stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casals, Miquel; Gangolells, Marta; Forcada, Núria; Macarulla, Marcel

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Lighting systems are big energy consumers in underground metro stations. • An adaptive lighting system strategy is developed for underground stations. • Dimming controls are based on station occupancy levels and maintenance cycles. • The k-means clustering technique is used to identify stations’ occupancy patterns. • Savings were found to amount to 255.47 MW h in 2 years for a case study metro network. - Abstract: Lighting systems are usually one of the largest electrical end-uses in underground metro stations. Taking into account that budget restrictions in publicly owned companies hinder energy efficiency retrofit projects that require high initial investments, affordable energy saving strategies are needed. This paper presents a low-cost approach for reducing lighting electricity use in underground stations, without affecting passengers’ comfort or the metro operator’s service. For this purpose, an adaptive lighting strategy of dimming the illuminance levels of artificial light sources has been developed. Dimming controls are based on the occupancy of the station, and the preventive maintenance and cleaning cycles of the luminaires. The stations’ monthly occupancy patterns are defined through the k-means clustering technique. To illustrate its effectiveness, the method was applied to 115 underground stations of the Barcelona metro network. The results revealed overall electricity savings of 255.47 MW h on a biannual basis, which represents 36.22% of the stations’ baseline lighting consumption. Individual energy savings were found to range from 25 to 87.5 MW h/year in the stations of the Barcelona metro network, depending on the number and profile of station users. The research findings will undoubtedly be useful for the future energy efficiency project plans of worldwide metro operators and managers of other underground spaces.

IMPACT OF SCHEMATIC DESIGNS ON THE COGNITION OF UNDERGROUND TUBE MAPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Liu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Schematic maps have been popularly employed to represent transport networks, particularly underground tube lines (or metro lines, since its adoption by the Official London Underground in early 1930s. Such maps employ straightened lines along horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions. Recently, some researchers started to argue that the distortion in such a schematization may cause big distortion and some new designs are proposed. This project aims to make a comparative analysis of such a schematic design with a new design proposed by Mark Noad in 2011, which makes use of lines along 30º and 60º directions instead of the 45º direction. Tasks have been designed for evaluating the effect of schematic designs on route planning by travellers. The participant was asked to choose the route s/he would take among two or three possible route options and then read the name of the selected transfer station. Eye-tracking technique has been employed to track the map recognition process. Total travel time is used as criterion for effectiveness; completion time and mental work cost are used for efficiency evaluation. It has been found that (1 the design of map style has significant impact on users’ travel decision making, especially map distance and transfer station symbol designs, and (2 the design style of a schematic map will have great impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of map recognition.

Optimal scheduling of biocide dosing for seawater-cooled power and desalination plants

KAUST Repository

Mahfouz, Abdullah Bin

2011-02-13

Thermal desalination systems are typically integrated with power plants to exploit the excess heat resulting from the power-generation units. Using seawater in cooling the power plant and the desalination system is a common practice in many parts of the world where there is a shortage of freshwater. Biofouling is one of the major problems associated with the usage of seawater in cooling systems. Because of the dynamic variation in the power and water demands as well as the changes in the characteristics of seawater and the process, there is a need to develop an optimal policy for scheduling biocide usage and cleaning maintenance of the heat exchangers. The objective of this article is to introduce a systematic procedure for the optimization of scheduling the dosing of biocide and dechlorination chemicals as well as cleaning maintenance for a power production/thermal desalination plant. A multi-period optimization formulation is developed and solved to determine: the optimal levels of dosing and dechlorination chemicals; the timing of maintenance to clean the heat-exchange surfaces; and the dynamic dependence of the biofilm growth on the applied doses, the seawater-biocide chemistry, the process conditions, and seawater characteristics for each time period. The technical, economic, and environmental considerations of the system are accounted for. A case study is solved to elucidate the applicability of the developed optimization approach. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Applications of radio frequency identification systems in underground mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knights, P F; Kairouz, J; Daneshmend, L K; Pathak, J [McGill University, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Canadian Centre for Automation and Robotics in Mining

1994-12-31

The paper describes the application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems in underground hardrock mines. The operating principles and some of the applications of RDIF systems are described. The system operates by the exchange of information between transponder tags and an antenna and controller device. The suitability of RFID systems for process control, inventory control, materials handling, control of access, security, and transportation in underground coal and hardrock mines is discussed. An ore tonnage tracking system is under development that uses RDIF transponder tags to locate vehicles in an underground mine. 6 refs., 4 figs.

Adsorption behavior of lithium from seawater using manganese oxide adsorbent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wajima, Takaaki; Munakata, Kenzo; Uda, Tatsuhiko

2012-01-01

The deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactor system is expected to provide the main source of electricity in the future. Large amounts of lithium will be required, dependent on the reactor design concept, and alternative resources should be found to provide lithium inventories for nuclear fusion plants. Seawater has recently become an attractive source of this element and the separation and recovery of lithium from seawater by co-precipitation, solvent extraction and adsorption have been investigated. Amongst these techniques, the adsorption method is suitable for recovery of lithium from seawater, because certain inorganic ion-exchange materials, especially spinel-type manganese oxides, show extremely high selectivity for the lithium ion. In this study, we prepared a lithium adsorbent (HMn 2 O 4 ) by elution of spinel-type lithium di-manganese-tetra-oxide (LiMn 2 O 4 ) and examined the kinetics of the adsorbent for lithium ions in seawater using a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The intermediate, LiMn 2 O 4 , can be synthesized from LiOH·H 2 O and Mn 3 O 4 , from which the lithium adsorbent can subsequently be prepared via acid treatment., The adsorption kinetics become faster and the amount of lithium adsorbed on the adsorbent increases with increasing solution temperature. The thermodynamic values, ΔG 0 , ΔH 0 and ΔS 0 , indicate that adsorption is an endothermic and spontaneous process. (author)

Determination of Vanadium Binding Mode on Seawater-Contacted Polyamidoxime Adsorbents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhicheng [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); Rao, Linfeng [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); Abney, Carter W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bryantsev, Vyacheslav [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ivanov, Aleksandr [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-09-01

Adsorbents developed for the recovery of uranium from seawater display poor selectivity over other transition metals present in the ocean, with vanadium particularly problematic. To improve selectivity, an indispensable step is the positive identification of metal binding environments following actual seawater deployment. In this work we apply x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy to directly investigate the vanadium binding environment on seawater-deployed polyamidoxime adsorbents. Comparison of the x-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) reveal marked similarities to recently a reported non-oxido vanadium (V) structure formed upon binding with cyclic imidedioxime, a byproduct of generating amidoxime functionalities. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided a series of putative vanadium binding environments for both vanadium (IV) and vanadium (V) oxidation states, and with both amidoxime and cyclic imidedioxime. Fits of the extended XAFS (EXAFS) data confirmed vanadium (V) is bound exclusively by the cyclic imidedioxime moiety in a 1:2 metal:ligand fashion, though a modest structural distortion is also observed compared to crystal structure data and computationally optimized geometries which is attributed to morphology effects from the polymer graft chain and the absence of crystal packing interactions. These results demonstrate that improved selectivity for uranium over vanadium can be achieved by suppressing the formation of cyclic imidedioxime during preparation of polyamidoxime adsorbents for seawater uranium recovery.

Application of Geophysical Method for Determining Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Muzamil Mohd Hashim; Kamarudin Samuding; Mohd Hafiz Zawawi; Daung, J.A.D.; Mohd Hafiz Zulkurnain; Kamaruzaman Mohamad

2016-01-01

A study of seawater intrusion has been proposed in the coastal area of Pahang. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a geophysical technique that used in this study. The survey was conducted at UMP, Tanjung Batu and Nenasi using Wenner-Schlumberger protocol. Electrical resistivity profile obtained from the survey indicates an area with low resistivity value (<5Ωm) associated with the resistivity value of seawater. (author)

The use of contained nuclear explosions to create underground reservoirs, and experience of operating these for gas condensate storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kedrovskij, O.L.; Myasnikov, K.V.; Leonov, E.A.; Romadin, N.M.; Dorodnov, V.F.; Nikiforov, G.A.

1975-01-01

Investigations on the creation of underground reservoirs by means of nuclear explosions have been going on in the Soviet Union for many years. In this paper the authors consider three main kinds of sites or formations that can be used for constructing reservoirs by this method, namely, low-permeable rocks, worked-out mines and rock salt formations. Formulae are given for predicting the mechanical effect of an explosion in rocks, taking their strength characteristics into account. Engineering procedures are described for sealing and restoring the emplacement holes, so that they can be used for operating the underground reservoir. Experience with the contruction and operation of a 50 000 m 3 gas-condensate reservoir in a rock salt formation is described. In the appendix to the paper a method is presented for calculating the stability of spherical cavities created by nuclear explosions in rock salt, allowing for the development of elasto-plastic deformations and creep

Drinking water in Cuba and seawater desalination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneses-Ruiz, E.; Turtos-Carbonell, L.M.; Oviedo-Rivero, I.

2004-01-01

The lack of drinking water has become a problem at world level because, in many places, supplies are very limited and, in other places, their reserves have been drained. At the present time there are estimated to be around two thousand million people that don't have drinking water for several reasons, such as drought, contamination and the presence of saline waters not suitable for human consumption. Because of the human need for water, they have always taken residence in areas where the supply was guaranteed, sometimes impeding the exploitation of other areas that can be economically very interesting. However, this resource is usually very close and in abundance in the form of seawater but its salinity makes it unusable for many basic requirements. Humanity has been forced, therefore, to take into consideration the possibilities of the economic treatment of seawater. Cuba has regions where the supplies of drinking water are scarce and others where the lack of this resource limits economic exploitation. The present work is approached with regard to the situation of hydro resources in Cuba, it includes: a description of the main hydrographic basins of the country; the contamination levels of the waters and the measures for mitigation; analysis of the supplies and demand for drinking water and its quality; regulatory aspects. The state of seawater desalination in Cuba is also included and the possibility of its realisation using nuclear energy and the advantages that this would bring is evaluated. (author)

Membrane-based seawater desalination: Present and future prospects

KAUST Repository

Amy, Gary L.

2016-10-20

Given increasing regional water scarcity and that almost half of the world\\'s population lives within 100 km of an ocean, seawater represents a virtually infinite water resource. However, its exploitation is presently limited by the significant specific energy consumption (kWh/m) required by conventional desalination technologies, further exasperated by high unit costs ($/m) and environmental impacts including GHG emissions (g CO-eq/m), organism impingement/entrainment through intakes, and brine disposal through outfalls. This paper explores the state-of-the-art in present seawater desalination practice, emphasizing membrane-based technologies, while identifying future opportunities in step improvements to conventional technologies and development of emerging, potentially disruptive, technologies through advances in material science, process engineering, and system integration. In this paper, seawater reverse osmosis (RO) serves as the baseline conventional technology. The discussion extends beyond desalting processes into membrane-based salinity gradient energy production processes, which can provide an energy offset to desalination process energy requirements. The future membrane landscape in membrane-based desalination and salinity gradient energy is projected to include ultrahigh permeability RO membranes, renewable-energy driven desalination, and emerging processes including closed-circuit RO, membrane distillation, forward osmosis, pressure retarded osmosis, and reverse electrodialysis according various niche applications and/or hybrids, operating separately or in conjunction with RO.

A Corrosion Risk Assessment Model for Underground Piping

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Koushik; Fraser, Douglas R.

2009-01-01

The Pressure Systems Manager at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) has embarked on a project to collect data and develop risk assessment models to support risk-informed decision making regarding future inspections of underground pipes at ARC. This paper shows progress in one area of this project - a corrosion risk assessment model for the underground high-pressure air distribution piping system at ARC. It consists of a Corrosion Model of pipe-segments, a Pipe Wrap Protection Model; and a Pipe Stress Model for a pipe segment. A Monte Carlo simulation of the combined models provides a distribution of the failure probabilities. Sensitivity study results show that the model uncertainty, or lack of knowledge, is the dominant contributor to the calculated unreliability of the underground piping system. As a result, the Pressure Systems Manager may consider investing resources specifically focused on reducing these uncertainties. Future work includes completing the data collection effort for the existing ground based pressure systems and applying the risk models to risk-based inspection strategies of the underground pipes at ARC.

SuperCDMS Underground Detector Fabrication Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Platt, M.; Mahapatra, R.; Bunker, Raymond A.; Orrell, John L.

2018-03-01

The SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter experiment processes Ge and Si crystals into fully tested phonon and ionization detectors at surface fabrication and test facilities. If not mitigated, it is anticipated that trace-level production of radioisotopes in the crystals due to exposure to cosmic rays at (or above) sea level will result in the dominant source of background events in future dark matter searches using the current SuperCDMS detector technology. Fabrication and testing of detectors in underground facilities shielded from cosmic radiation is one way to directly reduce production of trace levels of radioisotopes, thereby improving experimental sensitivity for the discovery of dark matter beyond the level of the current experiment. In this report, we investigate the cost and feasibility to establish a complete detector fabrication processing chain in an underground location to mitigate cosmogenic activation of the Ge and Si detector substrates. For a specific and concrete evaluation, we explore options for such a facility located at SNOLAB, an underground laboratory in Sudbury, Canada hosting the current and future experimental phases of SuperCDMS.

The underground storages of carbon dioxide. Juridical aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bersani, F.

2006-04-01

In the framework of the reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions in the air, the underground storage of the CO 2 is studied. Some experimentation are already realized in the world and envisaged in France. This document aims to study the juridical aspects of these first works in France. After a presentation of the realization conditions and some recalls on the carbon dioxide its capture and storage, the natural CO 2 underground storages and the first artificial storages are discussed. The CO 2 waste qualification, in the framework of the environmental legislation is then detailed with a special task on the Lacq region. The problem of the sea underground storages is also presented. (A.L.B.)

Development of sorbers for the recovery of uranium from seawater. Part 2. The accumulation of uranium from seawater by resins containing amidoxime and imidoxime functional groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astheimer, L.; Schenk, H.J.; Witte, E.G.; Schwochau, K.

1983-01-01

Hydroxylamine derivatives of cross-linked poly(acrylonitriles), so-called poly(acrylamidoxime) resins, are suitable for the accumulation of uranium from natural seawater of pH = 8.1 to 8.3. Depending on the method of manufacture, these sorbers yield excellent uranium loadings up to some thousand ppM which roughly equals the average uranium content of actually explored uranium ores. The rate of uranium uptake, which is 5 to 30 ppM/d at room temperature, increases with increasing temperature of seawater. Uranium can be eluted by 1 M HCl with an elution efficiency of more than 90%. Owing to a certain instability of the uranium binding groups in acid eluants, the uranium uptake decreases with increasing number of sorption-elution cycles. Hydroxylamine derivatives of poly(acrylonitrile) are shown to contain simultaneously at least two kinds of functional groups: open-chain amidoxime groups which are stable and cyclic imidoxime groups which are unstable in 1 M HCl. Experimental evidence is presented that the uptake of uranium from natural seawater is closely related to the presence of cyclic imidoxime configurations in the polyacrylic lattice. Polystyrene and poly(glycidylmethacrylate)-based amidoxime and imide dioxime resins are less effective in extracting uranium from natural seawater. 10 figures, 4 tables

30 CFR 75.313 - Main mine fan stoppage with persons underground.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Main mine fan stoppage with persons underground... mine fan stoppage with persons underground. (a) If a main mine fan stops while anyone is underground and the ventilating quantity provided by the fan is not maintained by a back-up fan system— (1...

Microstructure and mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete in seawater environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Pengjun; Tan, Zhuoying; Guo, Zhiying

2013-01-01

This study aims to conduct research about the microstructure and basic properties of recycled aggregate concrete under seawater corrosion. Concrete specimens were fabricated and tested with different replacement percentages of 0%, 30%, and 60% after immersing in seawater for 4, 8, 12, and 16 months, respectively. The basic properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) including the compressive strength, the elastic modulus, and chloride penetration depth were explicitly investigated. And the microstructure of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) was revealed to find the seawater corrosion by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that higher amount of the RCA means more porosity and less strength, which could lower both the compressive strength and resistance to chloride penetration. This research could be a guide in theoretical and numerical analysis for the design of RAC structures.

Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory project. Plans of investigations during shaft and drift excavation (Construction of underground facilities: Phase II)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-06-01

Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project is planned for over 20 years to establish the scientific and technical basis for the underground disposal of high-level radioactive wastes in Japan. The investigations are conducted by JNC in three phases, from the surface (Phase I), during the construction of the underground facilities (Phase II), and using the facilities (Phase III). This report concerns the investigation plans for Phase II. During excavation of shafts and drifts, detailed geological and borehole investigation will be conducted and the geological model constructed in Phase I is evaluated and revised by newly acquired data of geophysical and geological environment. Detailed in-situ experiments, as well as the effects of shaft excavation, are also done to study long-term changes, rock properties, groundwater flow and chemistry to ensure the reliability of repository technology and establish safety assessment methodology. (S. Ohno)

Network-level architecture and the evolutionary potential of underground metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Notebaart, Richard A; Szappanos, Balázs; Kintses, Bálint; Pál, Ferenc; Györkei, Ádám; Bogos, Balázs; Lázár, Viktória; Spohn, Réka; Csörgő, Bálint; Wagner, Allon; Ruppin, Eytan; Pál, Csaba; Papp, Balázs

2014-08-12

A central unresolved issue in evolutionary biology is how metabolic innovations emerge. Low-level enzymatic side activities are frequent and can potentially be recruited for new biochemical functions. However, the role of such underground reactions in adaptation toward novel environments has remained largely unknown and out of reach of computational predictions, not least because these issues demand analyses at the level of the entire metabolic network. Here, we provide a comprehensive computational model of the underground metabolism in Escherichia coli. Most underground reactions are not isolated and 45% of them can be fully wired into the existing network and form novel pathways that produce key precursors for cell growth. This observation allowed us to conduct an integrated genome-wide in silico and experimental survey to characterize the evolutionary potential of E. coli to adapt to hundreds of nutrient conditions. We revealed that underground reactions allow growth in new environments when their activity is increased. We estimate that at least ∼20% of the underground reactions that can be connected to the existing network confer a fitness advantage under specific environments. Moreover, our results demonstrate that the genetic basis of evolutionary adaptations via underground metabolism is computationally predictable. The approach used here has potential for various application areas from bioengineering to medical genetics.

An empirical study of the underground economy in the Kingdom of Belgium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rezaei, Shahamak; Goli, Marco; Dana, Léo-Paul

2013-01-01

This article investigates the underground economy in Belgium. Although several government initiatives are attempting to combat underground economic activities, we found illegal foreign workers identifying opportunities and fulfilling market needs. Underground employment thus thrives in a variety...

Identification and characterization of 1,4-dioxane-degrading microbe separated from surface seawater by the seawater-charcoal perfusion apparatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Ryotaro; Takagi, Kazuhiro; Sakakibara, Futa; Abe, Tomoko; Shiiba, Kiwamu

2016-06-01

To determine the concentration of soluble 1,4-dioxane during biodegradation, a new method using of high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a hydrophilic interaction chromatography column was developed. The developed method enabled easy and rapid determination of 1,4-dioxane, even in saline medium. Microbes capable of degrading 1,4-dioxane were selected from the seawater samples by the seawater-charcoal perfusion apparatus. Among 32 candidate 1,4-dioxane degraders,, strain RM-31 exhibited the strongest 1,4-dioxane degradation ability. 16S rDNA sequencing and the similarity analysis of strain RM-31 suggested that this organism was most closely related to Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans. This species is similar to Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans, which has previously been reported as a 1,4-dioxane degrader. Strain RM-31 could degrade 300 mg/L within 2 days. As culture incubation times increasing, the residual 1,4-dioxane concentration was decreasing and the total protein contents extracted from growth cells were increasing. The optimum initial pH of the broth medium and incubation temperature for 1,4-dioxane degradation were pH 6-8 and 25 °C. The biodegradation rate of 1,4-dioxane by strain RM-31 at 25 °C in broth medium with 3 % NaCl was almost 20 % faster than that without NaCl. It was probably a first bacteria from the seawater that can exert a strong degrading ability.

Design Criteria for Wireless Mesh Communications in Underground Coal Mines

OpenAIRE

Griffin, Kenneth Reed

2009-01-01

The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 was enacted in response to several coal mining accidents that occurred in the beginning of 2006. The MINER Act does not just require underground mines to integrate wireless communication and tracking systems, but aims to overall enhance health and safety in mining at both surface and underground operations. In 2006, the underground communication technologies available to the mining industry had inherent problems that limited ...

76 FR 51970 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Underground...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-19

... Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program under the Safe Drinking Water Act established a Federal and State... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program AGENCY... Water Protection Division/Underground Injection Control Program, Mailcode: 4606M, Environmental...

Magneto-Inductive Underground Communications in a District Heating System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meybodi, Soroush Afkhami; Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard; Bendtsen, Jan Dimon

2011-01-01

Feasibility of underground data communications is investigated by employing magnetic induction as the key technology at physical layer. Realizing an underground wireless sensor network for a district heating plant motivates this research problem. The main contribution of the paper is to find the ...

Earthquake damage to underground facilities and earthquake related displacement fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratt, H.R.; Stephenson, D.E.; Zandt, G.; Bouchon, M.; Hustrulid, W.A.

1982-01-01

The potential seismic risk for an underground facility is considered in the evaluation of its location and design. The possible damage resulting from either large-scale displacements or high accelerations should be considered in evaluating potential sites of underground facilities. Scattered through the available literature are statements to the effect that below a few hundred meters shaking and damage in mines is less than at the surface; however, data for decreased damage underground have not been completely reported or explained. In order to assess the seismic risk for an underground facility, a data base was established and analyzed to evaluate the potential for seismic disturbance. Substantial damage to underground facilities is usually the result of displacements primarily along pre-existing faults and fractures, or at the surface entrance to these facilities. Evidence of this comes from both earthquakes as a function of depth is important in the evaluation of the hazard to underground facilities. To evaluate potential displacements due to seismic effects of block motions along pre-existing or induced fractures, the displacement fields surrounding two types of faults were investigated. Analytical models were used to determine relative displacements of shafts and near-surface displacement of large rock masses. Numerical methods were used to determine the displacement fields associated with pure strike-slip and vertical normal faults. Results are presented as displacements for various fault lengths as a function of depth and distance. This provides input to determine potential displacements in terms of depth and distance for underground facilities, important for assessing potential sites and design parameters

Technical note: Examining ozone deposition over seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Surface layer resistance plays an important role in determining ozone deposition velocity over sea-water and can be influenced by chemical interactions at the air-water interface. Here, we examine the effect of chemical interactions of iodide, dimethylsulfide, dissolved organic c...

Concentrating cesium-137 from seawater using resorcinol-formaldehyde resin for radioecological monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egorin, Andrei; Tokar, Eduard; Tutov, Mikhail; Avramenko, Valentin [Institute of Chemistry FEBRAS, Vladivostok (Russian Federation); Far Eastern Federal Univ., Vladivostok (Russian Federation); Palamarchuk, Marina; Marinin, Dmitry [Institute of Chemistry FEBRAS, Vladivostok (Russian Federation)

2017-04-01

A method of preconcentrating cesium-137 from seawater using a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, which enables one to optimize the ecological monitoring procedure, has been suggested. Studies of sorption of cesium-137 from seawater by resorcinol-formaldehyde resin have been performed, and it has been demonstrated that the cation exchanger is characterized by high selectivity with respect to cesium-137. It was found that the selectivity depended on the temperature of resin solidification and the seawater pH value. The maximal value of the cesium-137 distribution coefficient is equal to 4.1-4.5 x 10{sup 3} cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}. Under dynamic conditions, the ion-exchange resin capacity is 310-910 bed volumes depending on the seawater pH, whereas the efficiency of cesium removal exceeds 95%. The removal of more than 95% of cesium-137 has been attained using 1-3 M solutions of nitric acid: here, the eluate volume was 8-8.4 bed volumes. Application of 3 M solution of nitric acid results in resin degradation with the release of gaseous products.

Bioaccumulation of PCBs in the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis from seawater, sediment and food pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danis, B.; Bustamante, P.; Cotret, O.; Teyssie, J.L.; Fowler, S.W.; Warnau, M.

2005-01-01

The cuttlefish Sepia officinalis was selected as a model cephalopod to study PCB bioaccumulation via seawater, sediments and food. Newly hatched, juvenile cuttlefish were exposed for 17 days to environmentally realistic concentrations of 14 C-labeled 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB no. 153) (18 ng PCB l -1 seawater; 30 ng PCB g -1 dry wt sediments; Artemia salina exposed to 18 ng PCB l -1 seawater). Accumulation of PCB no. 153 was followed in three body compartments: digestive gland, cuttlebone and the combined remaining tissues. Results showed that (1) uptake kinetics were source- and body compartment-dependent, (2) for each body compartment, the accumulation was far greater when S. officinalis was exposed via seawater, (3) the cuttlebone accumulated little of the contaminant regardless of the source, and (4) the PCB congener showed a similar distribution pattern among the different body compartments following exposure to contaminated seawater, sediment or food with the lowest concentrations in the cuttlebone and the highest in the remaining tissues. The use of radiotracer techniques allowed delineating PCB kinetics in small whole organisms as well as in their separate tissues. The results underscore the enhanced ability of cephalopods to concentrate organic pollutants such as PCBs, and raise the question of potential risk to their predators in contaminated areas. - Bioaccumulation of PCBs by cuttlefish is studied, via seawater, sediments and their food

Flux patterns and membrane fouling propensity during desalination of seawater by forward osmosis

KAUST Repository

Li, Zhenyu; Yangali-Quintanilla, Victor; Valladares Linares, Rodrigo; Li, Qingyu; Zhan, Tong; Amy, Gary L.

2012-01-01

The membrane fouling propensity of natural seawater during forward osmosis was studied. Seawater from the Red Sea was used as the feed in a forward osmosis process while a 2. M sodium chloride solution was used as the draw solution. The process was conducted in a semi-batch mode under two crossflow velocities, 16.7. cm/s and 4.2. cm/s. For the first time reported, silica scaling was found to be the dominant inorganic fouling (scaling) on the surface of membrane active layer during seawater forward osmosis. Polymerization of dissolved silica was the major mechanism for the formation of silica scaling. After ten batches of seawater forward osmosis, the membrane surface was covered by a fouling layer of assorted polymerized silica clusters and natural organic matter, especially biopolymers. Moreover, the absorbed biopolymers also provided bacterial attachment sites. The accumulated organic fouling could be partially removed by water flushing while the polymerized silica was difficult to remove. The rate of flux decline was about 53% with a crossflow velocity of 16.7. cm/s while reaching more than 70% with a crossflow velocity of 4.2. cm/s. Both concentration polarization and fouling played roles in the decrease of flux. The salt rejection was stable at about 98% during seawater forward osmosis. In addition, an almost complete rejection of natural organic matter was attained. The results from this study are valuable for the design and development of a successful protocol for a pretreatment process before seawater forward osmosis and a cleaning method for fouled membranes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Surfactant induced complex formation and their effects on the interfacial properties of seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán, Eduardo; Santini, Eva; Benedetti, Alessandro; Ravera, Francesca; Ferrari, Michele; Liggieri, Libero

2014-11-01

The effect of a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), on the interfacial properties of seawater has been studied by dynamic and equilibrium surface tension and by dilational rheology essays. Important modifications of the surface tension and dilational rheology response have been observed already at the very low CTAB concentrations, where the effects due to the high ionic strength are negligible. The comparison with the effects of CTAB in different seawater models, or in natural seawater fractions, points out the establishment of strong interactions between the surfactant molecules and the lipophilic fraction of organic material dispersed/dissolved in seawater, affecting the interfacial activity of the molecules. Considering the biochemical richness of seawater, these results can be explained assuming interaction mechanisms and adsorption schemes similar to those speculated for protein and other macromolecules in the presence of surfactants, which in fact show similar features. Thus already at the low concentrations the surfactant molecules form highly surface-active complexes with part of the organic fraction of seawater. At the larger surfactant concentrations these complexes compete for adsorption with an excess of free CTAB molecules which, according to the thermodynamic conditions, are most favoured to occupy the liquid interface. The results of this study underline the important role of the sea organic content in enhancing the surface-activity of surfactants, which is relevant for a deeper understand of the direct and indirect effects of these types of pollutants on the physico-chemical environment in the sea coastal areas and develop mitigation strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

System for remote control of underground device

Science.gov (United States)

Brumleve, T.D.; Hicks, M.G.; Jones, M.O.

1975-10-21

A system is described for remote control of an underground device, particularly a nuclear explosive. The system includes means at the surface of the ground for transmitting a seismic signal sequence through the earth having controlled and predetermined signal characteristics for initiating a selected action in the device. Additional apparatus, located with or adjacent to the underground device, produces electrical signals in response to the seismic signals received and compares these electrical signals with the predetermined signal characteristics.

System for remote control of underground device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumleve, T.D.; Hicks, M.G.; Jones, M.O.

1975-01-01

A system is described for remote control of an underground device, particularly a nuclear explosive. The system includes means at the surface of the ground for transmitting a seismic signal sequence through the earth having controlled and predetermined signal characteristics for initiating a selected action in the device. Additional apparatus, located with or adjacent to the underground device, produces electrical signals in response to the seismic signals received and compares these electrical signals with the predetermined signal characteristics

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project. Annual report for fiscal year 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Kazuhisa; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Amano, Kenji; Ohyama, Takuya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Hama, Katsuhiro; Mizuno, Takashi; Sai, Masataka; Hirano, Toru; Iyatomi, Yosuke; Shimada, Akiomi; Matsui, Hiroya; Ogata, Nobuhisa; Uchida, Masahiro; Sugihara, Kozo; Mikake, Shinichiro; Ikeda, Koki; Yamamoto, Masaru

2009-03-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is developing a geoscientific research project named Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project in crystalline rock environment in order to establish scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of HLW. Geoscientific research at MIU is planned to be carried out in three phases over a period of 20 years; Surface-based Investigation Phase (Phase I), Construction Phase (Phase II) and Operation Phase (Phase III). Currently, the project is under the Construction Phase. This document presents the following results of the research and development performed in fiscal year 2007, as a part of the Construction Phase based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2002, 1) Investigation at the MIU Construction Site and the Shobasama Site, 2) Construction at the MIU Construction Site, 3) Research Collaboration. (author)

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project. Annual report for fiscal year 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Kazuhisa; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Amano, Kenji; Ohyama, Takuya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Hama, Katsuhiro; Mizuno, Takashi; Sai, Masataka; Iyatomi, Yosuke; Shimada, Akiomi; Ogata, Nobuhisa; Uchida, Masahiro; Sugihara, Kozo; Mikake, Shinichiro; Ikeda, Koki; Yamamoto, Masaru; Yoshida, Haruo; Nakama, Shigeo; Seno, Yasuhiro; Kuroda, Hidetaka; Semba, Takeshi

2009-03-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is developing a geoscientific research project named Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project in crystalline rock environment in order to establish scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of HLW. Geoscientific research at MIU is planned to be carried out in three phases over a period of 20 years; Surface-based Investigation Phase (Phase 1), Construction Phase (Phase 2) and Operation Phase (Phase 3). Currently, the project is under the Construction Phase. This document presents the following results of the research and development performed in 2005 fiscal year, as a part of the Construction Phase based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2002, 1) Investigation at the MIU Construction Site and the Shobasama Site, 2) Construction at the MIU Construction Site, 3) Research Collaboration. (author)

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project. Annual report for fiscal year 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, Shinji; Kunimaru, Takanori; Nishio, Kazuhisa; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Hayano, Akira; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Ohyama, Takuya; Mizuno, Takashi; Hirano, Toru; Ogata, Nobuhisa; Hama, Katsuhiro; Iyatomi, Yosuke; Shimada, Akiomi; Matsui, Hiroya; Ito, Hiroaki; Sugihara, Kozo; Mikake, Shinichiro; Ikeda, Koki; Yamamoto, Masaru

2010-07-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is developing a geoscientific research project named Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project in crystalline rock environment in order to establish scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of HLW. Geoscientific research at MIU is planned to be carried out in three phases over a period of 20 years; Surface-based Investigation Phase (Phase 1), Construction Phase (Phase 2) and Operation Phase (Phase 3). Currently, the project is under the Construction Phase. This document presents the following results of the research and development performed in fiscal year 2008, as a part of the Construction Phase based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2002, 1) Investigation at the MIU Construction Site and the Shobasama Site, 2) Construction at the MIU Construction Site, 3) Research Collaboration. (author)

Radon Progeny in Egyptian Underground Phosphate Mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Hady, M.A.; Mohammed, A.; El-Hussein, A.; Ali, A.E.; Ahmed, A.A.

2001-01-01

In addition to the workers in uranium mines, the staff of other underground mines, such as workers in underground phosphate mines, can be exposed to 222 Rn and its progeny. In this study the individual radon progeny concentrations were measured in three Egyptian underground phosphate mines to estimate the occupational exposure of the workers at those sites. A filter method was used to measure individual radon progeny concentrations ( 218 Po, 214 Pb and 214 Po). The reported mean values of radon progeny concentrations exceed the action levels which are recommended by ICRP 65 (1993). Based on the measured individual radon progeny concentrations ( 218 Po, 214 Pb and 214 Po) in these mines, the annual effective dose for the workers has been calculated using the lung dose model of ICRP 66 (1994). According to the obtained results, some countermeasures were recommended in this study to minimise these exposure levels. (author)

Underground nuclear astrophysics at the Dresden Felsenkeller

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bemmerer, Daniel; Ilgner, Christoph; Junghans, Arnd R.; Mueller, Stefan; Rimarzig, Bernd; Schwengner, Ronald; Szuecs, Tamas; Wagner, Andreas [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden (Germany); Cowan, Thomas E.; Gohl, Stefan; Grieger, Marcel; Reinicke, Stefan; Roeder, Marko; Schmidt, Konrad; Stoeckel, Klaus; Takacs, Marcell P.; Wagner, Louis [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden (Germany); Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany); Reinhardt, Tobias P.; Zuber, Kai [Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

2015-07-01

Favored by the low background underground, accelerator-based experiments are an important tool to study nuclear astrophysics reactions involving stable charged particles. This technique has been used with great success at the 0.4 MV LUNA accelerator in the Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy. However, the nuclear reactions of helium and carbon burning and the neutron source reactions for the astrophysical s-process require higher beam energies, as well as the continuation of solar fusion studies. As a result, NuPECC strongly recommended the installation of one or more higher-energy underground accelerators. Such a project is underway in Dresden. A 5 MV Pelletron accelerator is currently being refurbished by installing an ion source on the high voltage terminal, enabling intensive helium beams. The preparation of the underground site is funded, and the civil engineering project is being updated. The science case, operational strategy and project status are reported.

Role of bacteria in marine barite precipitation : A case study using Mediterranean seawater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Torres-Crespo, N.; Martínez-Ruiz, F.; González-Muñoz, M. T.; Bedmar, E. J.; De Lange, G. J.; Jroundi, F.

2015-01-01

Marine bacteria isolated from natural seawater were used to test their capacity to promote barite precipitation under laboratory conditions. Seawater samples were collected in the western and eastern Mediterranean at 250. m and 200. m depths, respectively, since marine barite formation is thought to

Distributed Memory Parallel Computing with SEAWAT

Science.gov (United States)

Verkaik, J.; Huizer, S.; van Engelen, J.; Oude Essink, G.; Ram, R.; Vuik, K.

2017-12-01

Fresh groundwater reserves in coastal aquifers are threatened by sea-level rise, extreme weather conditions, increasing urbanization and associated groundwater extraction rates. To counteract these threats, accurate high-resolution numerical models are required to optimize the management of these precious reserves. The major model drawbacks are long run times and large memory requirements, limiting the predictive power of these models. Distributed memory parallel computing is an efficient technique for reducing run times and memory requirements, where the problem is divided over multiple processor cores. A new Parallel Krylov Solver (PKS) for SEAWAT is presented. PKS has recently been applied to MODFLOW and includes Conjugate Gradient (CG) and Biconjugate Gradient Stabilized (BiCGSTAB) linear accelerators. Both accelerators are preconditioned by an overlapping additive Schwarz preconditioner in a way that: a) subdomains are partitioned using Recursive Coordinate Bisection (RCB) load balancing, b) each subdomain uses local memory only and communicates with other subdomains by Message Passing Interface (MPI) within the linear accelerator, c) it is fully integrated in SEAWAT. Within SEAWAT, the PKS-CG solver replaces the Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) solver for solving the variable-density groundwater flow equation and the PKS-BiCGSTAB solver replaces the Generalized Conjugate Gradient (GCG) solver for solving the advection-diffusion equation. PKS supports the third-order Total Variation Diminishing (TVD) scheme for computing advection. Benchmarks were performed on the Dutch national supercomputer (https://userinfo.surfsara.nl/systems/cartesius) using up to 128 cores, for a synthetic 3D Henry model (100 million cells) and the real-life Sand Engine model ( 10 million cells). The Sand Engine model was used to investigate the potential effect of the long-term morphological evolution of a large sand replenishment and climate change on fresh groundwater resources

Seawater strontium isotopes, acid rain, and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Macdougall, J. D.

1988-01-01

A large bolide impact at the end of the Cretaceous would have produced significant amounts of nitrogen oxides by shock heating of the atmosphere. The resulting acid precipitation would have increased continental weathering greatly and could be an explanation for the observed high ratio of strontium-87 to strontium-86 in seawater at about this time, due to the dissolution of large amounts of strontium from the continental crust. Spikes to high values in the seawater strontium isotope record at other times may reflect similar episodes.

Survival behaviour and virulence of the fish pathogen Vibrio ordalii in seawater microcosms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Pamela; Poblete-Morales, Matías; Irgang, Rute; Toranzo, Alicia E; Avendaño-Herrera, Ruben

2016-06-15

Vibrio ordalii, the causative agent of atypical vibriosis, is a Gram-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacterium that severely affects the salmonid aquaculture industry. V. ordalii has been biochemically, antigenically and genetically characterized. However, studies on the survival behaviour of this bacterium in aquatic environments are scarce, and there is no information regarding its disease transmission and infectious abilities outside of the fish host or regarding water as a possible reservoir. The present study investigated the survival behaviour of V. ordalii Vo-LM-06 and Vo-LM-18 in sterile and non-sterile seawater microcosms. After a year in sterile seawater without nutrients, 1% of both V. ordalii strains survived (~10(3) colony-forming units ml(-1)), and long-term maintenance did not affect bacterial biochemical or genetic properties. Additionally, V. ordalii maintained for 60 d in sterile seawater remained infective in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. However, after 2 d of natural seawater exposure, this bacterium became non-culturable, indicating that autochthonous microbiota may play an important role in survival. Recuperation assays that added fresh medium to non-sterile microcosms did not favour V. ordalii recovery on solid media. Our results contribute towards a better understanding of V. ordalii survival behaviour in seawater ecosystems.

Chemical speciation of size-segregated floor dusts and airborne magnetic particles collected at underground subway stations in Seoul, Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Hae-Jin; Kim, BoWha; Malek, Md Abdul [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, 253, Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Koo, Yong Sung; Jung, Jong Hoon [Department of Physics, Inha University, 253, Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Son, Youn-Suk [Department of Advanced Technology Fusion, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jo-Chun [Department of Advanced Technology Fusion, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, HyeKyoung [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, 253, Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Ro, Chul-Un, E-mail: curo@inha.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, 253, Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-04-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examined chemical species of floor dusts and airborne magnetic subway particles collected at underground subway stations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer XRD, SEM/EDX, and VSM measurements provided information on their major iron species, which is relatively harmless iron metal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PM levels at underground subway stations can be controlled by removing magnetic indoor particles using magnets. - Abstract: Previous studies have reported the major chemical species of underground subway particles to be Fe-containing species that are generated from wear and friction processes at rail-wheel-brake and catenaries-pantographs interfaces. To examine chemical composition of Fe-containing particles in more details, floor dusts were collected at five sampling locations of an underground subway station. Size-segregated floor dusts were separated into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions using a permanent magnet. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDX), iron metal, which is relatively harmless, was found to be the dominating chemical species in the floor dusts of the <25 {mu}m size fractions with minor fractions of Mg, Al, Si, Ca, S, and C. From SEM analysis, the floor dusts of the <25 {mu}m size fractions collected on railroad ties appeared to be smaller than 10 {mu}m, indicating that their characteristics should somewhat reflect the characteristics of airborne particles in the tunnel and the platform. As most floor dusts are magnetic, PM levels at underground subway stations can be controlled by removing magnetic indoor particles using magnets. In addition, airborne subway particles, most of which were smaller than 10 {mu}m, were collected using permanent magnets at two underground subway stations, namely Jegi and Yangjae stations, in Seoul, Korea. XRD and SEM/EDX analyses showed that most of the magnetic aerosol particles collected at Jegi

Chemical speciation of size-segregated floor dusts and airborne magnetic particles collected at underground subway stations in Seoul, Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hae-Jin; Kim, BoWha; Malek, Md Abdul; Koo, Yong Sung; Jung, Jong Hoon; Son, Youn-Suk; Kim, Jo-Chun; Kim, HyeKyoung; Ro, Chul-Un

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We examined chemical species of floor dusts and airborne magnetic subway particles collected at underground subway stations. ► XRD, SEM/EDX, and VSM measurements provided information on their major iron species, which is relatively harmless iron metal. ► PM levels at underground subway stations can be controlled by removing magnetic indoor particles using magnets. - Abstract: Previous studies have reported the major chemical species of underground subway particles to be Fe-containing species that are generated from wear and friction processes at rail–wheel–brake and catenaries–pantographs interfaces. To examine chemical composition of Fe-containing particles in more details, floor dusts were collected at five sampling locations of an underground subway station. Size-segregated floor dusts were separated into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions using a permanent magnet. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDX), iron metal, which is relatively harmless, was found to be the dominating chemical species in the floor dusts of the <25 μm size fractions with minor fractions of Mg, Al, Si, Ca, S, and C. From SEM analysis, the floor dusts of the <25 μm size fractions collected on railroad ties appeared to be smaller than 10 μm, indicating that their characteristics should somewhat reflect the characteristics of airborne particles in the tunnel and the platform. As most floor dusts are magnetic, PM levels at underground subway stations can be controlled by removing magnetic indoor particles using magnets. In addition, airborne subway particles, most of which were smaller than 10 μm, were collected using permanent magnets at two underground subway stations, namely Jegi and Yangjae stations, in Seoul, Korea. XRD and SEM/EDX analyses showed that most of the magnetic aerosol particles collected at Jegi station was iron metal, whereas those at Yangjae station contained a small amount

Monitoring of uranium isotopes in seaweeds and seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meena, Balram; Mehendarge, S.T.; Baburajan, A.; Rao, D.D.

2012-01-01

The paper deals with the concentration of uranium in seawater and different types of seaweed found along the coast line of Tarapur marine environment. The seaweeds are the trend indicators of heavy metals and radionuclides present in the aquatic environment. Seaweeds also serve as a food to the marine organisms and thus can enter the human being through food chain. The higher concentration of uranium in seafood may have radiological impact on human health. The Tarapur Atomic Power Station is adjoined to the sea and has a rocky surface area, which act as a good dwelling for the growth and survival of marine biota. In present study, separation and measurements were made to determine the uranium concentration in seaweed seawater at Tarapur coastal environment

Physiological responses of coccolithophores to abrupt exposure of naturally low pH deep seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Iglesias-Rodriguez, Maria Debora; Jones, Bethan M; Blanco-Ameijeiras, Sonia; Greaves, Mervyn; Huete-Ortega, Maria; Lebrato, Mario

2017-01-01

Upwelling is the process by which deep, cold, relatively high-CO2, nutrient-rich seawater rises to the sunlit surface of the ocean. This seasonal process has fueled geoengineering initiatives to fertilize the surface ocean with deep seawater to enhance productivity and thus promote the drawdown of CO2. Coccolithophores, which inhabit many upwelling regions naturally 'fertilized' by deep seawater, have been investigated in the laboratory in the context of ocean acidification to determine the extent to which nutrients and CO2 impact their physiology, but few data exist in the field except from mesocosms. Here, we used the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (north Atlantic Ocean) Observatory to retrieve seawater from depths with elevated CO2 and nutrients, mimicking geoengineering approaches. We tested the effects of abrupt natural deep seawater fertilization on the physiology and biogeochemistry of two strains of Emiliania huxleyi of known physiology. None of the strains tested underwent cell divisions when incubated in waters obtained from seawater from ~1,000 m (pH = 7.9; CO2 ~560 p.p.m.; 14-17 μM nitrate) and ~4,800 m (pH = 7.9; CO2 ~600 p.p.m.; 21 μM nitrate). Emiliania huxleyi strain CCMP 88E showed no differences in growth rate or in cellular content or production rates of particulate organic (POC) and inorganic (PIC) carbon and cellular particulate organic nitrogen (PON) between treatments using water from 1,000 m and 4,800 m. However, despite the N:P ratio of seawater being comparable in water from ~1,000 and ~4,800 m, the PON production rates were three times lower in one incubation using water from ~1,000 m compared to values observed in water from ~4,800 m. Thus, the POC:PON ratios were threefold higher in cells that were incubated in ~1,000 m seawater. The heavily calcified strain NZEH exhibited lower growth rates and PIC production rates when incubated in water from ~4,800 m compared to ~1,000 m, while cellular PIC, POC and PON were higher in water from 4,800 m

Enhancement of Extraction of Uranium from Seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Sheikhly, Mohamad [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Dietz, Travis [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Tsinas, Zois [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Tomaszewski, Claire [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Pazos, Ileana M. [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Nigliazzo, Olga [The Catholic Univ. of America, Washington, DC (United States); Li, Weixing [The Catholic Univ. of America, Washington, DC (United States); Adel-Hadadi, Mohamad [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Barkatt, Aaron [Univ. of Palermo (Italy)

2016-04-01

Even at a concentration of 3 μg/L, the world’s oceans contain a thousand times more uranium than currently know terrestrial sources. In order to take advantage of this stockpile, methods and materials must be developed to extract it efficiently, a difficult task considering the very low concentration of the element and the competition for extraction by other atoms in seawater such as sodium, calcium, and vanadium. The majority of current research on methods to extract uranium from seawater are vertical explorations of the grafting of amidoxime ligand, which was originally discovered and promoted by Japanese studies in the late 1980s. Our study expands on this research horizontally by exploring the effectiveness of novel uranium extraction ligands grafted to the surface of polymer substrates using radiation. Through this expansion, a greater understanding of uranium binding chemistry and radiation grafting effects on polymers has been obtained. While amidoxime-functionalized fabrics have been shown to have the greatest extraction efficiency so far, they suffer from an extensive chemical processing step which involves treatment with powerful basic solutions. Not only does this add to the chemical waste produced in the extraction process and add to the method’s complexity, but it also significantly impacts the regenerability of the amidoxime fabric. The approach of this project has been to utilize alternative, commercially available monomers capable of extracting uranium and containing a carbon-carbon double bond to allow it to be grafted using radiation, specifically phosphate, oxalate, and azo monomers. The use of commercially available monomers and radiation grafting with electron beam or gamma irradiation will allow for an easily scalable fabrication process once the technology has been optimized. The need to develop a cheap and reliable method for extracting uranium from seawater is extremely valuable to energy independence and will extend the quantity of

Characteristic behavior of underground and semi-underground structure at earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawada, Yoshihiro; Komada, Hiroya

1985-01-01

An appropriate earthquake-resistant repository design is required to ensure the safety of the radioactive wastes (shallow or deep ground disposal of low- and high-level wastes, respectively). It is particularly important to understand the propagation characteristics of seismic waves and the behaviors of underground hollow structures at the time of an earthquake. This report deals with seismologic observations of rock beds and undergound structures. The maximum acceleration deep under the ground is found to be about 1/2 - 1/3 of that at the ground surface or along the rock bed in the horizontal direction and about 1/1 - 1/2 in the longitudinal direction. A large attenuation cannot be expected in shallow ground. The decrease in displacement amplitude is small compared to that in acceleration. The attenuation effect is larger for a small earthquake and at a short hypocentral distance. The attenuation factor reaches a maximum at a depth of several tens of meters. The seismic spectrum under the ground is flatter than that at the surface. The maximum acceleration along the side wall of a cavity is almost the same as that in the surrounding rock bed. An underground cavity shows complicated phase characteristics at the time of a small earthquake at a short hypocentral distance. (Nogami, K.)

New insight into the ternary complexes of uranyl carbonate in seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Beccia, M R; Matara-Aho, M; Reeves, B; Roques, J; Solari, P L; Monfort, M; Moulin, C; Den Auwer, C

2017-11-01

Uranium is naturally present in seawater at trace levels and may in some cases be present at higher concentrations, due to anthropogenic nuclear activities. Understanding uranium speciation in seawater is thus essential for predicting and controlling its behavior in this specific environmental compartment and consequently, its possible impact on living organisms. The carbonato calcic complex Ca 2 UO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 was previously identified as the main uranium species in natural seawater, together with CaUO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 2- . In this work, we further investigate the role of the alkaline earth cation in the structure of the ternary uranyl-carbonate complexes. For this purpose, artificial seawater, free of Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ , using Sr 2+ as a spectroscopic probe was prepared. Combining TRLIF and EXAFS spectroscopy, together with DFT and theoretical thermodynamic calculations, evidence for the presence of Sr alkaline earth counter ion in the complex structure can be asserted. Furthermore, data suggest that when Ca 2+ is replaced by Sr 2+ , SrUO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 2- is the main complex in solution and it occurs with the presence of at least one monodentate carbonate in the uranyl coordination sphere. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting and measurement of pH of seawater reverse osmosis concentrates

KAUST Repository

Waly, Tarek

2011-10-01

The pH of seawater reverse osmosis plants (SWRO) is the most influential parameter in determining the degree of supersaturation of CaCO3 in the concentrate stream. For this, the results of pH measurements of the concentrate of a seawater reverse osmosis pilot plant were compared with pH calculations based on the CO2-HCO3 --CO3 2- system equilibrium equations. Results were compared with two commercial software programs from membrane suppliers and also the software package Phreeqc. Results suggest that the real concentrate pH is lower than that of the feed and that none of the used programs was able to predict correctly real pH values. In addition, the effect of incorporating the acidity constant calculated for NaCl medium or seawater medium showed a great influence on the concentrate pH determination. The HCO3 - and CO3 2- equilibrium equation using acidity constants developed for seawater medium was the only method able to predict correctly the concentrate pH. The outcome of this study indicated that the saturation level of the concentrate was lower than previously anticipated. This was confirmed by shutting down the acid and the antiscalants dosing without any signs of scaling over a period of 12 months. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Seawater State Variables in Hatchery and Raceway Tanks

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Ambient seawater temperature and salinity was recorded on an intermittent basis for comparison with adjusted temperatures used in the aquaculture of bivalves

Development of an Assessment Procedure for Seawater Intrusion Mitigation

Science.gov (United States)

Hsi Ting, F.; Yih Chi, T.

2017-12-01

The Pingtung Plain is one of the areas with extremely plentiful groundwater resources in Taiwan. Due to that the application of the water resource is restricted by significant variation of precipitation between wet and dry seasons, groundwater must be used as a recharge source to implement the insufficient surface water resource during dry seasons. In recent years, the coastal aquaculture rises, and the over withdrawn of groundwater by private well results in fast drop of groundwater level. Then it causes imbalance of groundwater supply and leads to serious seawater intrusion in the coastal areas. The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated numerical model of groundwater resources and seawater intrusion. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), MODFLOW and MT3D models were applied to analyze the variation of the groundwater levels and salinity concentration to investigate the correlation of parameters, which are used to the model applications in order to disposal saltwater intrusion. The data of groundwater levels, pumping capacity and hydrogeological data to were collected to build an integrated numerical model. Firstly, we will collect the information of layered aquifer and the data of hydrological parameters to build the groundwater numerical model at Pingtung Plain, and identify the amount of the groundwater which flow into the sea. In order to deal with the future climate change conditions or extreme weather conditions, we will consider the recharge with groundwater model to improve the seawater intrusion problem. The integrated numerical model which describes that seawater intrusion to deep confined aquifers and shallow unsaturated aquifers. Secondly, we will use the above model to investigate the weights influenced by different factors to the amount area of seawater intrusion, and predict the salinity concentration distribution of evaluation at coastal area of Pingtung Plain. Finally, we will simulate groundwater recharge/ injection at the coastal

Status and prospects of a deep underground laboratory in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, K J; Cheng, J P; Li, Y J; Yue, Q; Chen, Y H; Shen, M B; Wu, S Y

2010-01-01

An excellent candidate location for a deep underground laboratory with more than 2500 m of rock overburden has been identified at Sichuan Province in China. It can be accessed through a road tunnel of length 17.5 km, and is supported by services and amenities near the entrance provided by the local Ertan Hydropower Plant. The particle physics community in China is actively pursuing the construction of an underground laboratory at this location, under the leadership of Tsinghua University. Memorandum has been signed with Ertan Hydropower Plant which permits access to and construction of the underground laboratory - China JinPing Deep Underground Laboratory (CJPL). The basic features of this underground site, as well as the status and schedules of the construction of the first laboratory cavern are presented. The immediate goal is to have the first experiment operational in 2010, deploying an Ultra-Low-Energy Germanium detector for WIMP dark matter searches, with emphasis on the mass range of 1-10 GeV. The conceptual design of the experiment, as well as the future plans and prospects of the laboratory, will be surveyed.

CASPAR - Nuclear Astrophysics Underground

Science.gov (United States)

Senarath, Chamaka; Caspar Collaboration

2017-09-01

The CASPAR mainly focuses on Stellar Nucleosynthesis, its impact on the production of heavy elements and study the strength of stellar neutron sources that propels the s-process, 13C(α,n)16O and 22Ne(α,n)25Mg. Currently, implementation of a 1MV fully refurbished Van de Graaff accelerator that can provide a high intensity Î+/- beam, is being done at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The accelerator is built among a collaboration of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, University of Notre Dame and Colorado School of Mines. It is understood that cosmic ray neutron background radiation hampers experimental Nucleosynthesis studies, hence the need to go underground in search for a neutron free environment, to study these reactions at low energies is evident. The first beam was produced in the middle of summer 2017. The entire accelerator will be run before the end of this year. A detailed overview of goals of CASPAR will be presented. NFS Grant-1615197.

Changing of Sumatra backswamp peat properties by seawater and zeolite application

Science.gov (United States)

Sarifuddin; Nasution, Z.; Rauf, A.; Mulyanto, B.

2018-02-01

This research attempts to improve the properties of backswamp peatsoil originated from Asahan District, North Sumatra Indonesia by adding sea water and zeolite using factorial randomized block design with volume of sea water as first factor, consisting of without seawater, 500 ml, 1000 ml and 1500 ml and second factor are dosages of zeolite consisting of without zeolite, 100 g, 200 g each 10 kgs of wet peat soil. at green house in faculty of agriculture University of Sumatra Utara (USU) Medan, Indonesia. The result showed that the application of seawater decreased pH, C/N and Cation Exchange Capacity and increased of base saturation of peat soil. Adding of zeolite minerals can buffered the increasing of acidity and Electric Conductivity caused by sea water application. Interaction seawater + zeolite decreased of C/N and increased of percent of base saturation.

78 FR 68783 - Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-15

... Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor. ACTION: Reopen... coal mines. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit remanded a training... for refuge alternatives in underground coal mines. On January 13, 2009, the United Mine Workers of...

Underground disposal of radioactive wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1979-08-15

Disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes by shallow land burial, emplacement in suitable abandoned mines, or by deep well injection and hydraulic fracturing has been practised in various countries for many years. In recent years considerable efforts have been devoted in most countries that have nuclear power programmes to developing and evaluating appropriate disposal systems for high-level and transuranium-bearing waste, and to studying the potential for establishing repositories in geological formations underlaying their territories. The symposium, organized jointly by the IAEA and OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency in cooperation with the Geological Survey of Finland, provided an authoritative account of the status of underground disposal programmes throughout the world in 1979. It was evidence of the experience that has been gained and the comprehensive investigations that have been performed to study various options for the underground disposal of radioactive waste since the last IAEA/NEA symposium on this topic (Disposal of Radioactive Waste into the Ground) was held in 1967 in Vienna. The 10 sessions covered the following topics: National programme and general studies, Disposal of solid waste at shallow depth and in rock caverns, underground disposal of liquid waste by deep well injection and hydraulic fracturing, Disposal in salt formations, Disposal in crystalline rocks and argillaceous sediments, Thermal aspects of disposal in deep geological formations, Radionuclide migration studies, Safety assessment and regulatory aspects.

Nuclear plant undergrounding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.C.; Bastidas, C.P.

1978-01-01

Under Section 25524.3 of the Public Resources Code, the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (CERCDC) was directed to study ''the necessity for '' and the effectiveness and economic feasibility of undergrounding and berm containment of nuclear reactors. The author discusses the basis for the study, the Sargent and Lundy (S and L) involvement in the study, and the final conclusions reached by S and L

Geophysics and geochemistry techniques in seawater intrusion monitoring and mapping at Kerpan, Kedah

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashillah Baharuddin; Nazrul Hizam Yusoff; Abdul Rahim Samsudin

2002-01-01

Lately, groundwater contamination has become a public concern. Seawater intrusion is not a new issue, and only it started to magnetize attention from lots of parties since at also a contributor to groundwater contamination. Therefore a study about seawater intrusion is carried out and the selected area is Kerpan, Kedah. This information is useful particularly in agriculture because any contamination that cause by chlorine (seawater) intrusion can affect crops production. For Kerpan Project, two modernized electric resistivity survey instruments, the Terrameter SAS 4000 and SAS 300C are used which provide image profiles. This profiles have the capability to access a comprehensive geological interpretation by examine subsurface electric characteristics such as resistivity, permittivity and chargeability (John, 1997). At Kerpan, Kedah a study about salinity in canals was also carried out to monitor if there is any seawater intrusion that can get through the canals. The study was done since that the canals are directly to the sea. Instrument for this study is STD 12-plus. (Author)

Removal of oil pollutants in seawater as pretreatment of reverse osmosis desalination process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen Jian; Nishijima, Wataru; Baes, Aloysius U.; Okada, Mitsumasa [Hiroshima Univ., Environmental Science Dept., Hiroshima (Japan); Kitanaka, Atsushi [Fuji-Electric Corporate Research and Development Ltd., Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Japan)

1999-11-01

Weathered oil contaminated seawater (WOCS) was used to investigate the behaviour of soluble oil components in seawater in various pretreatment processes for removal of oil pollutants in seawater. The various pretreatment processes were a reverse osmosis desalination process in combination with advanced oxidation processes, ultrafiltration, coagulation, GAC adsorption, biological treatment and separation with a low pressure RO membrane. WOCS was prepared by mixing oil, nutrients and fresh seawater which was exposed to sunlight to simulate photooxidation and microbial degradation of oil in the marine environment. It was found that WOCS contained soluble components with relatively small molecular size, which are refractory to biodegradation and difficult to remove by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), UF membrane or coagulation using FeCl{sub 3} or PAC as flocculants. However, DOC in WOCS (OCWOCS) was easily adsorbed to GAC. Low pressure RO membranes with higher salt rejection rate could remove more OCWOCS compared to those of lower salt rejection rate. (Author)

Removal of oil pollutants in seawater as pretreatment of reverse osmosis desalination process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen Jian; Nishijima, Wataru; Baes, Aloysius U.; Okada, Mitsumasa [Hiroshima Univ., Environmental Science Dept., Hiroshima (Japan); Kitanaka, Atsushi [Fuji-Electric Corporate Research and Development Ltd., Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Japan)

1999-07-01

Weathered oil contaminated seawater (WOCS) was used to investigate the behaviour of soluble oil components in seawater in various pretreatment processes for removal of oil pollutants in seawater. The various pretreatment processes were a reverse osmosis desalination process in combination with advanced oxidation processes, ultrafiltration, coagulation, GAC adsorption, biological treatment and separation with a low pressure RO membrane. WOCS was prepared by mixing oil, nutrients and fresh seawater which was exposed to sunlight to simulate photooxidation and microbial degradation of oil in the marine environment. It was found that WOCS contained soluble components with relatively small molecular size, which are refractory to biodegradation and difficult to remove by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), UF membrane or coagulation using FeCl{sub 3} or PAC as flocculants. However, DOC in WOCS (OCWOCS) was easily adsorbed to GAC. Low pressure RO membranes with higher salt rejection rate could remove more OCWOCS compared to those of lower salt rejection rate. (Author)

Posture estimation system for underground mine vehicles

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Hlophe, K

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Page 1 of 8 25th International Conference of CAD/CAM, Robotics & Factories of the Future Conference, 13-16 July 2010, Pretoria, South Africa A POSTURE ESTIMATION SYSTEM FOR UNDERGROUND MINE VEHICLES Khonzumusa Hlophe1, Gideon Ferreira2... and the transmitter. The main difference between the three systems is their implementation. This paper describes an implementation of a posture estimation system for underground mine vehicles. The paper is organized as follows. In the next section, a brief...

Impact of seawater carbonate chemistry on the calcification of marine bivalves

OpenAIRE

Thomsen Jörn; Haynert Kristin; Wegner K Mathias; Melzner Frank

2015-01-01

Bivalve calcification, particular of the early larval stages is highly sensitive to the change of ocean carbonate chemistry resulting from atmospheric CO2 uptake. Earlier studies suggested that declining seawater [CO32−] and thereby lowered carbonate saturation affect shell production. However, disturbances of physiological processes such as acid-base regulation by adverse seawater pCO2 and pH can affect calcification in a secondary fashion. In order to determine the e...

Chemical speciation of size-segregated floor dusts and airborne magnetic particles collected at underground subway stations in Seoul, Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Hae-Jin; Kim, BoWha; Malek, Md Abdul; Koo, Yong Sung; Jung, Jong Hoon; Son, Youn-Suk; Kim, Jo-Chun; Kim, HyeKyoung; Ro, Chul-Un

2012-04-30

Previous studies have reported the major chemical species of underground subway particles to be Fe-containing species that are generated from wear and friction processes at rail-wheel-brake and catenaries-pantographs interfaces. To examine chemical composition of Fe-containing particles in more details, floor dusts were collected at five sampling locations of an underground subway station. Size-segregated floor dusts were separated into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions using a permanent magnet. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDX), iron metal, which is relatively harmless, was found to be the dominating chemical species in the floor dusts of the subway stations can be controlled by removing magnetic indoor particles using magnets. In addition, airborne subway particles, most of which were smaller than 10 μm, were collected using permanent magnets at two underground subway stations, namely Jegi and Yangjae stations, in Seoul, Korea. XRD and SEM/EDX analyses showed that most of the magnetic aerosol particles collected at Jegi station was iron metal, whereas those at Yangjae station contained a small amount of Fe mixed with Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, and C. The difference in composition of the Fe-containing particles between the two subway stations was attributed to the different ballast tracks used. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk analysis of underground infrastructures in urban areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cagno, Enrico; De Ambroggi, Massimiliano; Grande, Ottavio; Trucco, Paolo

2011-01-01

The paper presents an integrated approach for vulnerability and resilience analysis for underground infrastructures, i.e. a societal risk analysis of the failures of underground services for an urban area. The approach is based on the detailed study of (1) domino-effects for the components of a single infrastructure and for a given set of infrastructures interoperated and/or belonging to the same area; (2) risk and vulnerability analysis of a given area; (3) identification of a set of intervention guidelines, in order to improve the overall system resilience. The use of an integrated (interoperability and area) approach, breaking down the analysis area extent into sub-areas and assessing the dependencies among sub-areas both in terms of interoperability and damage propagation of critical infrastructures, demonstrates a useful advantage in terms of resilience analysis, more consistent with the 'zoned' nature of failures of the underground infrastructures. An applied case, describing the interoperability and damage propagation analysis with the evaluation of time-dependency for the infrastructures and targets and of different kinds of interventions of the underground infrastructures of a town, is presented for this purpose.

Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)

Science.gov (United States)

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 significantly affected federal and state underground storage tank programs, required major changes to the programs, and is aimed at reducing underground storage tank releases to our environment.

Isolation of a Seawater Tolerant Leptospira spp. from a Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis).

Science.gov (United States)

Grune Loffler, Sylvia; Rago, Virginia; Martínez, Mara; Uhart, Marcela; Florin-Christensen, Monica; Romero, Graciela; Brihuega, Bibiana

2015-01-01

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. It is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira spp. and is maintained in nature through chronic renal infection of carrier animals. Rodents and other small mammals are the main reservoirs. Information on leptospirosis in marine mammals is scarce; however, cases of leptospirosis have been documented in pinniped populations from the Pacific coast of North America from southern California to British Columbia. We report the isolation of a Leptospira spp. strain, here named Manara, from a kidney sample obtained from a Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) calf, which stranded dead in Playa Manara, Península Valdés, Argentina. This strain showed motility and morphology typical of the genus Leptospira spp. under dark-field microscopy; and grew in Ellinghausen-McCullough-Johnson-Harris (EMJH) medium and Fletcher medium after 90 days of incubation at 28°C. Considering the source of this bacterium, we tested its ability to grow in Fletcher medium diluted with seawater at different percentages (1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% v/v). Bacterial growth was detected 48 h after inoculation of Fletcher medium supplemented with 5% sea water, demonstrating the halophilic nature of the strain Manara. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences placed this novel strain within the radiation of the pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira spp., with sequence similarities within the range 97-100%, and closely related to L. interrogans. Two different PCR protocols targeting genus-specific pathogenic genes (G1-G2, B64I-B64II and LigB) gave positive results, which indicates that the strain Manara is likely pathogenic. Further studies are needed to confirm this possibility as well as determine its serogroup. These results could modify our understanding of the epidemiology of this zoonosis. Until now, the resistance and ability to grow in seawater for long periods of time had been proven for the strain

Isolation of a Seawater Tolerant Leptospira spp. from a Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylvia Grune Loffler

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. It is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira spp. and is maintained in nature through chronic renal infection of carrier animals. Rodents and other small mammals are the main reservoirs. Information on leptospirosis in marine mammals is scarce; however, cases of leptospirosis have been documented in pinniped populations from the Pacific coast of North America from southern California to British Columbia. We report the isolation of a Leptospira spp. strain, here named Manara, from a kidney sample obtained from a Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis calf, which stranded dead in Playa Manara, Península Valdés, Argentina. This strain showed motility and morphology typical of the genus Leptospira spp. under dark-field microscopy; and grew in Ellinghausen-McCullough-Johnson-Harris (EMJH medium and Fletcher medium after 90 days of incubation at 28°C. Considering the source of this bacterium, we tested its ability to grow in Fletcher medium diluted with seawater at different percentages (1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% v/v. Bacterial growth was detected 48 h after inoculation of Fletcher medium supplemented with 5% sea water, demonstrating the halophilic nature of the strain Manara. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences placed this novel strain within the radiation of the pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira spp., with sequence similarities within the range 97-100%, and closely related to L. interrogans. Two different PCR protocols targeting genus-specific pathogenic genes (G1-G2, B64I-B64II and LigB gave positive results, which indicates that the strain Manara is likely pathogenic. Further studies are needed to confirm this possibility as well as determine its serogroup. These results could modify our understanding of the epidemiology of this zoonosis. Until now, the resistance and ability to grow in seawater for long periods of time had been proven

Model for the Assessment of Seawater Environmental Quality Based on Multiobjective Variable Fuzzy Set Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lina Ke

2013-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of marine economy industry, the activities for exploring and exploiting the marine resources are increasing, and there are more and more marine construction projects, which contribute to the growing trend of eutrophication and frequent occurrence of red tide. Thus, seawater quality has become the topic which the people generally cared about. The seawater quality evaluation could be considered as an analysis process which combined the evaluation indexes with certainty and evaluation factors with uncertainty and its changes. This paper built a model for the assessment of seawater environmental quality based on the multiobjective variable fuzzy set theory (VFEM. The Qingdao marine dumping site in China is taken as an evaluation example. Through the quantitative research of water-quality data from 2004 to 2008, the model is more reliable than other traditional methods, in which uncertainty and ambiguity of the seawater quality evaluation are considered, and trade the stable results as the final results of seawater quality evaluation, which effectively solved the impact of the fuzzy boundary of evaluation standard and monitoring error, is more suitable for evaluation of a multi-index, multilevel, and nonlinear marine environment system and has been proved to be an effective tool for seawater quality evaluation.

Development of pre-concentration procedure for the determination of Hg isotope ratios in seawater samples.

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Štrok, Marko; Hintelmann, Holger; Dimock, Brian

2014-12-03

Hg concentrations in seawater are usually too low to allow direct (without pre-concentration and removal of salt matrix) measurement of its isotope ratios with multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Therefore, a new method for the pre-concentration of Hg from large volumes of seawater was developed. The final method allows for relatively fast (about 2.5Lh(-1)) and quantitative pre-concentration of Hg from seawater samples with an average Hg recovery of 98±6%. Using this newly developed method we determined Hg isotope ratios in seawater. Reference seawater samples were compared to samples potentially impacted by anthropogenic activity. The results show negative mass dependent fractionation relative to the NIST 3133 Hg standard with δ(202)Hg values in the range from -0.50‰ to -1.50‰. In addition, positive mass independent fractionation of (200)Hg was observed for samples from reference sites, while impacted sites did not show significant Δ(200)Hg values. Although the influence of the impacted sediments is limited to the seawater and particulate matter in very close proximity to the sediment, this observation may raise the possibility of using Δ(200)Hg to distinguish between samples from impacted and reference sites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of corrosion behavior of carbon steel under seawater film using the wire beam electrode method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Zaijian; Wang, Wei; Wang, Jia; Peng, Xin; Wang, Yanhua; Zhang, Penghui; Wang, Haijie; Gao, Congjie

2014-01-01

Corrosion behavior of carbon steel under seawater film with various thickness was investigated by the wire beam electrode (WBE) method. It was found that the corrosion rate of carbon steel increased significantly under thin seawater film than it was immersed in seawater. The current variation under seawater film indicated that the thickness of diffusion layer of oxygen was about 500 μm, and the maximal current appeared around 40 μm, at which corrosion rate transited from cathodic control to anodic control. The results suggest that WBE method is helpful to study the corrosion process under thin electrolyte film

Fission product separation from seawater by electrocoagulation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagaki, T.; Hoshino, T.; Sambommatsu, Y.; Yano, K.; Takeuchi, M.; Igarashi, T.; Suzuki, T.

2013-01-01

At the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, seawater was urgently injected into the reactor core. Therefore a large amount of seawater containing highly radioactive fission products (FP) accumulated and its treatment has been a serious problem. FP such as Cs, Sr and I in water are generally removed by an ion exchanger such as zeolite and separated with column or chemical precipitation methods. An alternative electrocoagulation method, which efficiently separates fine particles from the liquid phase without a chemical reagent is expected to be part of a useful separation system that can reduce the amount of waste, decrease processing time and simplify the process. In this study, powdered adsorbents, such as ferrocyanide and zeolite, were added to seawater containing simulated FP, and the electrocoagulation effect with Al alloy electrodes were investigated. More than 99 % of Cs and 90 % of I were removed by potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate(II) and silver zeolite, respectively. Sedimentation was promoted by electrocoagulation and addition of an inorganic cohesion promoter further increased the sedimentation rate. Moreover, rapid dissolution reaction with heating of the aggregation substance was not observed, so the thermal risk of aqueous processing of it would be low. In addition, thermal analyses showed that the electrocoagulation process did not lead to thermal decomposition. Therefore, if the electrocoagulation method is applied to a decontamination system, it has the potential to thermally stabilize and reduce waste. (author)

Influence of fuel costs on seawater desalination options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Methnani, Mabrouk

2007-01-01

Reference estimates of seawater desalination costs for recent mega projects are all quoted in the range of US$0.50/m 3 . This however does not reflect the recent trends of escalating fossil fuel costs. In order to analyze the effect of these trends, a recently updated version of the IAEA Desalination Economic Evaluation Program, DEEP-3, has been used to compare fossil and nuclear seawater desalination options, under varied fuel cost and interest rate scenarios. Results presented for a gas combined-cycle and a modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor design, show clear cost advantages for the latter, for both Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) and Reverse Osmosis (RO). Water production cost estimates for the Brayton cycle nuclear option are hardly affected by fuel costs, while combined cycle seawater desalination costs show an increase of more than 40% when fuel costs are doubled. For all cases run, the nuclear desalination costs are lower and if the current trend in fossil fuel prices continues as predicted by pessimist scenarios and the carbon tax carried by greenhouse emissions is enforced in the future, the cost advantage for nuclear desalination will be even more pronounced. Increasing the interest rate from 5 to 8% has a smaller effect than fuel cost variations. It translates into a water cost increase in the range of 10-20%, with the nuclear option being the more sensitive. (author)

Impact of Seawater Nonlinearities on Nordic Seas Circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Helber, R. W.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Shriver, J. F.

2017-12-01

The Nordic Seas (Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian Seas) form an ocean basin important for Arctic-mid-latitude climate linkages. Cold fresh water from the Arctic Ocean and warm salty water from the North Atlantic Ocean meet in the Nordic Seas, where a delicate balance between temperature and salinity variability results in deep water formation. Seawater non-linearities are stronger at low temperatures and salinities making high-latitude oceans highly subject to thermbaricity and cabbeling. This presentation highlights and quantifies the impact of seawater non-linearities on the Nordic Seas circulation. We use two layered ocean circulation models, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYOCM) and the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6), that enable accurate representation of processes along and across density or neutral density surfaces. Different equations-of-state and vertical coordinates are evaluated to clarify the impact of seawater non-linearities. Present Navy systems, however, do not capture some features in the Nrodic Seas vertical structure. For example, observations from the Greenland Sea reveal a subsurface temperature maximum that deepens from approximately 1500 m during 1998 to 1800 m during 2005. We demonstrate that in terms of density, salinity is the largest source of error in Nordic Seas Navy forecasts, regional scale models can represent mesoscale features driven by thermobaricity, vertical coordinates are a critical issue in Nordic Sea circulation modeling.

Seawater corrosion tests for low-level radioactive waste drum containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Sho; Wadachi, Yoshiki

1985-11-01

This report is a part of corrosion tests of drums under various environmental conditions (seawater, river water, coastal sand, inland soil and indoor and outdoor atmosphere) done at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute sponsored by the Science and Technology Agency. The corrosion tests were started in November, 1977 and complated at March, 1984. This report describes the results of the seawater corrosion tests which are part of the final report, ''Corrosion Safety Demonstration Test'' (Japanese), and it is expected to contribute the safety assessment of sea dumping of low-level radioactive waste packages. (author)

Recovery of oil from underground drill sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Streeter, W.S.; Hutchinson, T.S.; Ameri, S.; Wasson, J.A.; Aminian, K.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that a significant quantity of oil is left in reservoirs after conventional oil recovery techniques have been applied. In West Virginia and Pennsylvania alone, this oil has been estimated at over 4.5 billion barrels (0.72 billion m 3 ). Conventional recovery methods are already being used when applicable. But a new recovery method is needed for use in reservoirs that have been abandoned. One alternative method for recovery of the residual oil is known as oil recovery from underground drill sites. This recovery technology is a combination of proven methods and equipment from the petroleum, mining, and civil construction industries. Underground oil recovery can be an economically viable method of producing oil. This has been shown in producing fields, field tests, and feasibility, studies. Faced with decreasing domestic oil production, the petroleum industry should give serious consideration to the use of oil recovery from underground drill sites as a safe, practical, and environmentally sensitive alternative method of producing oil from many reservoirs

Determination of 226Ra and 228Ra in surface seawater around Sagami bay and its vicinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano-Ohta, T.; Kubota, T.; Mahara, Y.; Yoshikawa, M.; Sato, J.

2006-01-01

Activity ratios of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra in surface seawaters were observed at 5 ports of Izu-Oshima, Ajiro port of Sagami bay and Umizuri park of Tokyo bay. The 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio in surface seawaters were from 0.2 to 0.7 for Izu-Oshima, from 0.2 to 0.7 for Ajiro port and from 0.6 to 0.8 for Tokyo bay. The activity ratio in surface seawaters of Izu-Oshima and Atami of Sagami bay showed lower in spring and highly in autumn, while narrow variation pattern was observed in Umizuri park of Tokyo bay. The observed variation patterns of 228 Ra/ 226 Ra in surface seawaters at Izu-oshima, Ajiro park and Umizuri park may be reflected by difference of contribution from amount of seawater far off coast with low 228 Ra concentration. (author)

Horonobe underground research program. Research report of 2002 FY investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-06-01

Main results of investigation about Horonobe deep underground research center in 2002 FY were reported. It consists of six chapters: introduction, main results, selection of research center area, underground science research, R and D of geological disposal, and the environmental survey and research center on the ground. The research center area at about 3 km north of Horonobe (B1) was selected in the four areas: A, B1, B2 and C on the basis of data, researches in the sky, aboveground and underground and other conditions. The model of geological environment was constructed by physical, geological, surface water supply researches. Development of geological environment monitoring techniques, investigation of long stabilization of geological environment and design of underground facilities are reported. The basic design of preparation of research center was investigated. (S.Y.)

Analysis on one underground nuclear waste repository rock mass in USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha Qiuling; Zhang Tiantian

2012-01-01

When analyzing the rock mass of a underground nuclear waste repository, the current studies are all based on the loading mechanical condition, and the unloading damage of rock mass is unconsidered. According to the different mechanical condition of actual engineering rock mass of loading and unloading, this paper implements a comprehensive analysis on the rock mass deformation of underground nuclear waste repository through the combination of present loading and unloading rock mass mechanics. It is found that the results of comprehensive analysis and actual measured data on the rock mass deformation of underground nuclear waste repository are basically the same, which provide supporting data for the underground nuclear waste repository. (authors)

Application of vacuum-assisted closure in seawater-immersed wound treatment under different negative pressures.

Science.gov (United States)