Search results for "Pollution"
showing 10 items of 2765 documents
Stratospheric aerosol-Observations, processes, and impact on climate
2016
Interest in stratospheric aerosol and its role in climate have increased over the last decade due to the observed increase in stratospheric aerosol since 2000 and the potential for changes in the sulfur cycle induced by climate change. This review provides an overview about the advances in stratospheric aerosol research since the last comprehensive assessment of stratospheric aerosol was published in 2006. A crucial development since 2006 is the substantial improvement in the agreement between in situ and space-based inferences of stratospheric aerosol properties during volcanically quiescent periods. Furthermore, new measurement systems and techniques, both in situ and space based, have be…
New insights into submarine tailing disposal for a reduced environmental footprint: Lessons learnt from Norwegian fjords
2021
Submarine tailing disposal (STD) in fjords from land-based mines is common practice in Norway and takes place in other regions worldwide. We synthesize the results of a multidisciplinary programme on environmental impacts of STDs in Norwegian fjords, providing new knowledge that can be applied to assess and mitigate impact of tailing disposal globally, both for submarine and deep-sea activities. Detailed geological seafloor mapping provided data on natural sedimentation to monitor depositional processes on the seafloor. Modelling and analytical techniques were used to assess the behaviour of tailing particles and process-chemicals in the environment, providing novel tools for monitoring. To…
Changes to processes in estuaries and coastal waters due to intense multiple pressures:an introduction and synthesis
2015
From the 2013 ECSA conference ‘Estuaries and Coastal Areas in Times of Intense Change’ a theme emerged that has ended up being the focus of this Special Issue of Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, namely ‘Changes to processes in estuaries and coastal waters due to intense multiple pressures’. Manyparts of the world are continuing to experience unprecedented rates of economic growth, and those responsible for managing coastal and estuarine areas must respond accordingly. At the same time, global climate change and sea level rise are also continuing, placing new or more intense pressures on coastal areas that must be dealt with in ways that are as far as possible managed as a result of good…
Hydrogeochemistry and stable isotopes of thermal springs: earthquake-related chemical changes along Belice Fault (Western Sicily)
2001
Abstract Three geothermal systems, Montevago, Castellammare-Alcamo and Sciacca, are located along the main seismogenetic structures in Western Sicily. Concentrations of dissolved species including the gases CO 2 , N 2 , He and the results of stable isotope measurements δ 18 O, δ D and δ 13 C TDIC in water samples collected from six thermal springs and 28 cold discharges were used to characterise their feeder aquifers and to reveal the relationships between water chemistry and regional seismicity. The Sciacca thermal springs differ chemically and isotopically from those of Montevago and the Castellammare-Alcamo areas. The inferred deep end-members of the thermal waters of Montevago and Caste…
Soil CO2 degassing along tectonic structures of Mount Etna (Sicily): the Pernicana fault
1997
Abstract Carbon dioxide emissions from the soil have been investigated along lines of equally spaced sampling points perpendicular to the Pernicana fault on Mt Etna. Anomalous values of soil CO2 have been found not only along the fault plane, but also along directions parallel to it, both to the N and to the S of the main fault. The acquired data seem to reveal a shallow step-like geometry of the Pernicana fault system with parallel faults being generally not deeper than the interface between Etna's volcanic cover and its sedimentary basement (a few hundred meters). The distribution of the anomalous CO2 emissions has also revealed that the Pernicana fault continues at least as far as the Io…
The aquatic geochemistry of arsenic in volcanic groundwaters from southern Italy
2003
Abstract This paper discusses the abundance, speciation and mobility of As in groundwater systems from active volcanic areas in Italy. Using literature data and new additional determinations, the main geochemical processes controlling the fate of As during gas–water–rock interaction in these systems are examined. Arsenic concentrations in the fluids range from 0.1 to 6940 μg/l, with wide differences observed among the different volcanoes and within each area. The dependence of As content on water temperature, pH, redox potential and major ions is investigated. Results demonstrate that As concentrations are highest where active hydrothermal circulation takes place at shallow levels, i.e. at …
Elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a river floodplain soil due to coal mining activities
2007
Elevated PAH concentrations were found in soil samples collected along the Mosel River. These contaminations were associated with the occurrence of coal particles found in the soil. The majority of the PAH contamination in the soils was linked to coal mining activities in the Saar region. Density and grain size separation showed a similar PAH distribution pattern in all of the fractions, indicating a uniform origin of PAHs. Together with coal petrography a good correlation between TOC and PAHs concentration confirmed the impact of former coal mining activity on the PAHs distribution in study area.
The Influence of Floodplains on Mercury Availability
2009
The floodplains of the German river Elbe affect the mercury distribution in the river system in two different ways: they act both as a medium-term sink and as a long-term source. The large amounts of mercury deposited onto the floodplains during annual floodings are first effectively fixed in the soils, rendering them basically unavailable. Sequential extraction experiments reveal that only a small fraction of the mercury (< 3%) is present in available forms, whereas the vast majority is associated with humic substances or present in sulfidic binding forms. After deposition, a small fraction of the total mercury is gradually remobilized into the aqueous phase bound passively to water-solubl…
CO2 release to the atmosphere from thermal springs of Sperchios Basin and northern Euboea (Greece): The contribution of “hidden” degassing
2020
Abstract Greece is a region characterised by intense geodynamic activity that favours the circulation of hydrothermal fluids in the crust transporting volatiles from either the deep crust or the mantle to the surface. Elevated heat flow values are detectable at Sperchios Basin and North Euboea (central Greece), two areas defined by a system of deeply rooted extensional faults and Quaternary volcanic activity. This setting contributed to the formation of numerous hydrothermal systems, which are mostly expressed as CO2-rich thermal springs with intense bubbling. The CO2 output from six bubbling pools has been determined by flux measurements with the use of the floating chamber method. The hig…
A hybrid statistical decision-making optimization approach for groundwater vulnerability considering uncertainty.
2021
Recognizing the vulnerable areas for contamination is a feasible way to protect groundwater resources. The main contribution of the paper is developing a hybrid statistical decision-making model for evaluating the vulnerability of Shiraz aquifer, southern Iran, with modified DRASTIC (depth to the water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity) by using the genetic algorithm (GA), the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, and factorial analysis (FA). First, considering the variation of the uncertain parameters, 32 scenarios were defined to perform factorial analysis. Then using the AHP method and GA, DRASTIC parame…