Epidemiologic Analysis of Factors Associated with Local Disappearances of Native Ranid Frogs in Arizona

Abstract:  We examined factors that may independently or synergistically contribute to amphibian population declines. We used epidemiologic case–control methodology to sample and analyze a large database developed and maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department that describes historical and currently known ranid frog localities in Arizona, U.S.A. Sites with historical documentation of target ranid species ( n = 324) were evaluated to identify locations where frogs had disappeared during the study period (case sites) and locations where frog populations persisted (control sites). Between 1986 and 2003, 117 (36%) of the 324 sites became case sites, of which 105 were used in the analyses. An equal number of control sites were sampled to control for the effects of time. Risk factors, or predictor variables, were defined from environmental data summarized during site surveys and geographic information system data layers. We evaluated risk factors with univariate and multifactorial logistic-regression analyses to derive odds ratios (OR). Odds for local population disappearance were significantly related to 4 factors in the multifactorial model. Disappearance of frog populations increased with increasing elevation (OR = 2.7 for every 500 m, p < 0.01). Sites where disappearances occurred were 4.3 times more likely to have other nearby sites that also experienced disappearances (OR = 4.3, p < 0.01), whereas the odds of disappearance were 6.7 times less (OR = 0.15, p < 0.01) when there was a source population nearby. Sites with disappearances were 2.6 times more likely to have introduced crayfish than were control sites (OR = 2.6, p = 0.04). The identification of factors associated with frog disappearances increases understanding of declines occurring in natural populations and aids in conservation efforts to reestablish and protect native ranids by identifying and prioritizing implicated threats.     

无机高分子絮凝剂聚硅铝铁硼的制备及其絮凝性能研究

以工业水玻璃、氯化铝、氯化铁、硼酸为原料，制备了一种性能优良的无机高分子絮凝剂聚硅铝铁硼(PSBFA)。通过考察不同pH值条件下水玻璃的胶凝时间、Si／Al物质的量比、硼的浓度、熟化时间等因素对聚硅铝铁硼产品应用性能的影响，确定了聚硅铝铁硼的最佳制备条件为pH值为2～4，Si／Al物质的量比在1．0左右，硼的浓度为0．02mol／L，熟化时间为5d左右。絮凝应用实验表明，聚硅铝铁硼对于印染废水脱色效果、生活污水的COD去除率具有优异的絮凝性能；与传统混凝剂硫酸铝和市售混凝剂聚合氯化铝(PAC)相比，PSBFA的具有投加量少、沉降速度快、絮体体积小等优点。     

The effect of Na and Ca salts on MSWI bottom ash activation for reuse as a pozzolanic admixture

In this study the possibility of both chemical and combined chemical + thermal activation of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash was investigated. A number of chemical activators including Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O, NaOH, Na₂SO₄ and CaCl₂·2H₂O were individually added at varying concentrations to bottom ash/Portland cement mixtures having different bottom ash contents. The effect of the selected compounds was evaluated in terms of macroscopic properties including mechanical strength and composition of cementitious materials/water slurries. The results showed that Na-based activators were not capable of improving the characteristics of the cementitious products if compared to Portland cement under both normal and accelerated curing. Conversely, the use of calcium chloride at 40 °C-curing did promote the pozzolanic properties of bottom ash, leading to UCS values of 45.5 and 60.0 MPa after 10 and 20 days, respectively, as opposed to a value of 43.6 MPa obtained after 28 days for Portland cement under normal curing conditions.     

Optical and Chemical Methods of Metal Ash Analysis and Tin Recovery

‘Metal ash’ presents a waste disposal problem in most of the developing countries as the industries employ obsolete technologies. In this paper we describe analysis of tin ash, zinc ash and aluminium ash by means of optical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical methods. The results of tin ash obtained by XRD method matched well with the cassiterite, a naturally occurring mineral of tin. ICP-MS studies reveal the presence of a large number of tracer metals, which may cause pollution by tertiary dispersion and this aspect is discussed. Conversely, the data generated by chemical methods are limited. However, the methods are simple and cost-effective. Then, they can easily be adopted by low-budget industries. Simple and cost-effective process to recover tin from tin ash is described. It is based on heating tin ash with sodium cyanide to about 900°C to separate tin component from the metal ash. The process recovers good quality tin and offers a very high yield. The process can be scaled up to small pilot plant.     

土壤矿物固定态铵研究进展

主要从土壤中粘土矿物组成、有机物质、土壤水分、Fe的氧化还原、钾素状况及土壤粘粒的不同层面电荷、净表面电荷、表面电荷均匀性等方面就土壤中固定态铵的固定机制及其对作物的有效性的影响进行了综述;并对近年来土壤中固定态铵的测定方法作一评述。     

隐伏断裂的地气测量及其意义

传统概念的地气测量是指地下上升到地表并扩散到大气空间的天然状态气体 ,如CO2 、CH4 、Rn、Hg、H2 等。近十多年的研究证实地气还包含着新的内涵 ,即地壳岩石以及地表土壤中还存着痕量的金属与非金属气体 ,通过捕集这些气体 ,可以获得更多的深部地质构造、矿床信息。据报导 ,国内外的研究主要是在已知矿床上做的正演研究。本文是在已知隐伏断层构造上方地表 ,试验金属与非金属地气存在的可能性。     

煤炭开发建设项目环境影响后评价初步研究

环境影响后评价作为环境影响评价的延伸,是提高环评有效性的有力手段,目前我国环境影响后评价仍处于起步阶段,其理论和实践都具有很强的探索性。煤炭在我国的能源地位突出,但对煤炭开采建设项目的环境影响后评价研究甚少,文章介绍了国内外环境影响后评价的研究进展,并针对煤炭项目,通过识别煤炭开采的环境影响,概述了其评价指标的选取原则、指标体系的构建和评价方法。     

热活化和酸活化给水处理厂废弃铁铝泥的吸磷效果

探讨了酸活化和热活化方式对给水厂废弃铁铝泥(ferric and alum water treatment residuals,FARs)吸附磷能力的影响.结果表明,酸活化和热活化均能提高FARs的磷吸附能力,其中经2mol·L-1HCl酸活化的FARs(AH2.0-FARs)和300℃热活化的FARs(H300-FARs)取得最好的磷吸附效果.结合SEM和XRD表征技术对活化机制分析得知,两种活化方式均会使FARs变得疏松、多孔,从而提高FARs对磷的吸附能力.Langmuir和Freundlich两种模型均可很好地反映活化前后FARs的等温吸附过程,FARs对磷的理论饱和吸附量由活化前的20.48mg·g-1分别增加到22.86mg·g-1(AH2.0-FARs)和29.66mg·g-1(H300-FARs).低pH值有利于FARs对磷的吸附.此外,解吸附实验结果表明活化后的FARs能够更好地固定磷.因此,活化后的FARs是一种相对更好的磷的吸附材料.     

基于形态与in vitro方法的铬污染土壤生物可给性研究

铬（Cr）是电镀类场地的主要污染物.开展土壤中Cr（III）和Cr（VI）的生物可给性研究对于准确评估Cr污染场地风险,克服污染场地过度修复问题十分关键.本研究采集我国栗钙土、红壤、潮土3种典型土壤,通过添加相同浓度污染物的方式制备成Cr（III）或Cr（VI）污染土壤.随后利用5种体外方法（in vitro）,对3种土壤经口摄入的Cr生物可给性进行比较与健康风险评估.进而从土壤理化性质、Cr赋存形态、土壤矿物组成方面,对不同土壤在溶解度生物可给性研究联盟（SBRC）方法中的生物可给性差异进行分析.结果表明,基于生物可给性的Cr污染土壤健康风险评估能够显著降低风险水平,提高风险控制值,其中,SBRC方法在评估中更具有保守性.3种土壤在相同的Cr（III）和Cr（VI）污染浓度下,栗钙土相较于红壤和潮土在肠期具有更高的生物可给性和健康风险.此外,土壤黏粒、有机质含量及迁移系数能够影响土壤Cr的生物可给性,土壤矿物种类赋存不同也是造成Cr（III）和Cr（VI）在不同土壤中生物可给性差异的重要因素.     

Development of heat transfer and evaporation model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam

Natural gas is a kind of clean, efficient green energy source, which is used widely. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is produced by cooling natural gas to −161 °C, at which it becomes the liquid. Once LNG was released, fire or explosion would happen when ignition source existed nearby. The high expansion foam (Hi-Ex foam) is believed to quickly blanket on the top of LNG spillage pool and warm the LNG vapor to lower the vapor cloud density at the ground level and raising vapor buoyancy. To identify the physical structure after it contacted with LN₂ and to develop heat transfer model, the small-scale field test with liquid nitrogen (LN₂) was designed. In experiment, three layers including frozen ice layer, frozen Hi-Ex layer and soft layer of Hi-Ex foam were observed at the steady state. By characterizing physical structure of the foam, formulas for calculating the surface of single foam bubble and counting foam film thickness were deduced. The micro heat transfer and evaporation model between cryogenic liquid and Hi-Ex foam was established. Indicating the physical structure of the frozen ice layer, there were a certain number of icicles below it. The heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model between the frozen ice layer and LNG was derived. Combining models above with the heat transfer between LNG, ground and cofferdam, the heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam was developed eventually. Finally, LN₂ evaporation rate calculated by this model was compared with the measured evaporation rate. The calculated results are 1.2–2.1 times of experimental results, which were acceptable in engineering and proved the model was reliable.