Pendimethalin determination in natural water, baby food and river sediment samples using electroanalytical methods

This work describes the electroanalytical determination of pendimethalin herbicide levels in natural waters, river sediment and baby food samples, based on the electro-reduction of herbicide on the hanging mercury drop electrode using square wave voltammetry (SWV). A number of experimental and voltammetric conditions were evaluated and the best responses were achieved in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions at pH 8.0, using a frequency of 500 s^− 1, a scan increment of 10 mV and a square wave amplitude of 50 mV. Under these conditions, the pendimethalin is reduced in an irreversible process, with two reduction peaks at − 0.60 V and − 0.71 V, using a Ag/AgCl reference system. Analytical curves were constructed and the detection limit values were calculated to be 7.79 μg L^− 1 and 4.88 μg L^− 1, for peak 1 and peak 2, respectively. The precision and accuracy were determinate as a function of experimental repeatability and reproducibility, which showed standard relative deviation values that were lower than 2% for both voltammetric peaks. The applicability of the proposed methodology was evaluated in natural water, river sediments and baby food samples. The calculated recovery efficiencies demonstrate that the proposed methodology is suitable for determining any contamination by pendimethalin in these samples. Additionally, adsorption isotherms were used to evaluate information about the behavior of pendimethalin in river sediment samples.     

Oxo-biodegradable full carbon backbone polymers - biodegradation behaviour of thermally oxidized polyethylene in an aqueous medium

Several demonstrations of the effective biodegradation in soil of pro-oxidant activated polyethylene (PE) have been reported recently. Nevertheless a comprehensive understanding of the ultimate fate in the environment of the oxidized fragments of oxo-biodegradable polyethylene materials needs the extension of the studies to other natural environments and in particular to aqueous media (river, lake, brackish and marine waters) where accidental plastic littering and the resulting degraded fragments eventually may end up.In this respect, as part of our continuing activity in the area of oxo-biodegradable polymeric materials, in the present paper we wish to report on the results attained in an ongoing investigation on the biodegradation in a water medium of thermally pre-oxidized low density polyethylene (LDPE) film samples containing pro-oxidant additives.Thermally oxidized LDPE-film samples and corresponding acetone extractable fractions were submitted to the effect of microorganism flora present in river water. The effective biodegradation was assessed by monitoring the amount of CO₂ developed over time in a respirometer apparatus. Levels of biodegradation up to 12 and 48% for the degraded fragments and corresponding fractions extracted with boiling acetone were detected on a 100-day time frame.     

Simulations of flows and water depth in a dendritic river system

This paper presents the development of a channel hydrodynamic model for simulating the behaviour of flows and water depths in a river network that may consist of any number of joined and branched rivers/streams, including both tidal and non-tidal rivers. The model employs a numerical method—an integrated compartment method (ICM). The method greatly facilitates the set-up of algebraic equations for the discrete field approximating the corresponding continuous field. Most of the possible boundary conditions that may be anticipated in real-world problems are considered. These include junctions, prescribed flow, prescribed water depth (or cross-sectional area), and rating curve boundaries. The use of ICM makes the implementation of these four types of boundary conditions relatively easy. The model is applied to two case studies: first to a single river and then to a network of five river branches in a watershed. Results indicate that the model can simulate the behaviour of the hydrodynamic variables that are required to compute chemical transport in a river-stream network.     

Eco-friendly location of small hydropower

We address the problem of locating small hydropower dams in an environmentally friendly manner. We propose the use of a multi-objective optimization model to maximize total hydropower production, while limiting negative impacts on river connectivity. Critically, we consider the so called “backwater effects” that dams have on power generation at nearby upstream sites via changes in water surface profiles. We further account for the likelihood that migratory fish and other aquatic species can successfully pass hydropower dams and other artificial/natural barriers and how this is influenced by backwater effects. Although naturally represented in nonlinear form, we manage through a series of linearization steps to formulate a mixed integer linear programing model. We illustrate the utility of our proposed framework using a case study from England and Wales. Interestingly, we show that for England and Wales, a region heavily impacted by a large number of existing river barriers, that installation of small hydropower dams fitted with even moderately effective fish passes can, in fact, create a win-win situation that results in increased hydropower and improved river connectivity.     

Book Reviews

Nuclear Chemistry: O. Navratil, J. Hala, R. Kopunec, F. Macasek, V. Mikulaj, L. Leseticky, Translated from Czech to English by J. Hala and P. Huth, Ellis Horwood PTR Prentice Hall, New York (Physical Chemistry Series) and Academia Publishing House, Prague 1992, 389 pp.

Limitation of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation: Recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP Report No. 116, Bethesda, Maryland, 1993,88 pp.     

Ferric nitrate-promoted oxidative esterification of toluene with N-hydroxyphthalimide: Synthesis of N-hydroxyimide esters

A ferric nitrate-promoted cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) with toluene derivatives is reported. The reaction proceeded smoothly using molecular oxygen as an oxidant, providing an efficient method for the synthesis of N-hydroxyimide esters. Furthermore, a plausible mechanism was proposed.     

文化创意企业视角的长三角城市网络演变特征

运用社会网络与位序-规模法分析长江三角洲地区16市上市类文化创意企业的母-子公司数据信息, 揭示文化创意企业集聚视角长三角城市网络结构及其演变特征. 研究发现: (1) 2005~2015年, 长三角地区文化创意企业上市公司总部数量逐年增加, 公司总部多设立于上海、杭州、苏州以及南京4地; (2)传媒类和软件及计算机类企业多分布于传统区域, 设计咨询类企业生产网络中, 存在传统非核心城市跃升为区域核心城市的现象; (3)上市公司生产网络结构逐渐复杂, 多中心及新核心相继出现, 且生产网络中城市位序有变动趋势, 文化创意产业空间动态正形塑城市体系结构. 为此, 建议长三角文化创意企业发展中应加强企业母子间的联系强度, 促进城市创意流动网络化, 有望推进长三角创意源-流形塑创意城市群新体系.     

Hydrology of the North Klondike River: carbon export,water balance and inter-annual climate influences within a sub-alpine permafrost catchment

Arctic and sub-arctic watersheds are undergoing significant changes due to recent climate warming and degrading permafrost, engendering enhanced monitoring of arctic rivers. Smaller catchments provide understanding of discharge, solute flux and groundwater recharge at the process level that contributes to an understanding of how larger arctic watersheds are responding to climate change. The North Klondike River, located in west central Yukon, is a sub-alpine permafrost catchment, which maintains an active hydrological monitoring station with a record of >40 years. In addition to being able to monitor intra-annual variability, this data set allows for more complex analysis of streamflow records. Streamflow data, geochemistry and stable isotope data for 2014 show a groundwater-dominated system, predominantly recharged during periods of snowmelt. Radiocarbon is shown to be a valuable tracer of soil zone recharge processes and carbon sources. Winter groundwater baseflow contributes 20?% of total annual discharge, and accounts for up to 50?% of total river discharge during the spring and summer months. Although total stream discharge remains unchanged, mean annual groundwater baseflow has increased over the 40-year monitoring period. Wavelet analysis reveals a catchment that responds to El Niño and longer solar cycles, as well as climatic shifts such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

Dedicated to Professor Peter Fritz on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

The constructal unification of biological and geophysical design

Here we show that the emergence of scaling laws in inanimate (geophysical) flow systems is analogous to the emergence of allometric laws in animate (biological) flow systems, and that features of evolutionary “design” in nature can be predicted based on a principle of physics (the constructal law): “For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to live) it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier and easier access to its currents”, meaning that the configuration and function of flow systems change over time in a predictable way that improves function, distributes imperfection, and creates geometries that best arrange high and low resistance areas or volumes. This theoretical unification of the phenomena of animate and inanimate flow design generation is illustrated with examples from biology (lung design, animal locomotion) and the physics of fluid flow (river basins, turbulent flow structure, self-lubrication). The place of this design-generation principle as a self-standing law in thermodynamics is discussed. Natural flow systems evolve by acquiring flow configuration in a definite direction in time: existing configurations are replaced by easier flowing configurations.