Search results for "Science and technology"

Fluorine speciation in topsoils of three active volcanoes of Sicily (Italy)

2008

Fluorine is one of the many environmental harmful elements released by volcanic activity. The content of total oxalate-extractable and water-extractable fluorine was determined in 96 topsoils of three active volcanic systems of southern Italy (Mt Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano). Total fluorine (F) content (F TOT) ranges from 112 to 7,430 mg kg−1, F extracted with oxalate (F OX) ranges from 16 to 2,320 mg kg−1 (2–93% of F TOT) and F extracted with distilled water ( $$ F_{{{\text{H}}_{{\text{2}}} {\text{O}}}} $$ ) ranges from 1.7 to 159 mg kg−1 (0.2–40 % of F TOT). Fluorine in the sampled topsoils derives both from the weathering of volcanic rocks and ashes and from the enhanced deposition due t…

A Damara orogen perspective on the assembly of southwestern Gondwana

2008

The Pan-African Damara orogenic system records Gondwana amalgamation involving serial suturing of the Congo-Sao Francisco and Ro ´o de la Plata cratons (North Gondwana) from 580 to 550 Ma, before amalgamation with the Kalahari - Antarctic cratons (South Gondwana) as part of the 530 Ma Kuunga-Damara orogeny. Closure of the Adamastor Ocean was diachronous from the Aracuao ´ Belt southwards, with peak sinistral transpressional deformation followed by craton overthrusting and foreland basin development at 580- 550 Ma in the Kaoko Belt and at 545-530 Ma in the Gariep Belt. Peak deformation/metamorphism in the Damara Belt was at 530-500 Ma, with thrusting onto the Kalahari Craton from 495 Ma thro…

Coelobiontic communities in neptunian fissures of synsedimentary tectonic origin in Permian reef, southern Urals, Russia

2007

Sedimentary dykes in the Permian reef complexes of the Russian platform are well preserved and important in providing information about reef growth, the reef biota and, particularly, cavity-dwelling organisms and sediment sources. Two main fissure assemblages are recognized with N80° and N170° (late Asselian-early Sakmarian) and N130°–140° and N60° (Sakmarian-Artinskian) orientations. These contemporaneous orthogonal dyke sets present orientations corresponding to the regional tectonic fabric and a tectonic origin for fracturing associated with the foreland basin development. The largest dykes record eight lithofacies and several stages of fracture opening. Stromatoids and centimetre-thick …

Late Proterozoic and Silurian basement units within the Serbo-Macedonian Massif, northern Greece: the significance of terrane accretion in the Hellen…

2006

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.

Mercury fluxes from volcanic and geothermal sources: An update

2015

OVSICORI, IAMC-CNR We review the state of knowledge on global volcanogenic Hg emissions to the atmosphere and present new data from seven active volcanoes (Poás, Rincón de la Vieja, Turrialba, Aso, Mutnovsky, Gorely and Etna) and two geothermal fields (Las Pailas and Las Hornillas). The variability of Hg contents (c. 4-125 ng m-3) measured in gaseous emissions reflects the dynamic nature of volcanic plumes, where the abundances of volatiles are determined by the physical nature of degassing and variable air dilution. Based on our dataset and previous work, we propose that an average Hg/SO2 plume mass ratio of c. 7.8 × 10-6 (± 1.5 × 10-6; 1 SE, n = 13) is best representative of open-conduit …

Methodologies for feasibility studies related to wastewater reclamation and reuse projects

2006

Abstract About 20% of the total surface water in Europe is strongly threatened due to pollution problems, and 60% of European cities over-exploit their groundwater resources. The European Framework Water Directive established that by the year 2015 “a good ecological state” of all European water resources and a sustainable use of water must be achieved. Wastewater reuse presents a promising solution to the growing pressure on Europe's water resources. However, wastewater reuse implementation in Europe faces obstacles that include insufficient public acceptance; technical, economic and hygienic risks; and lack of regulations. On the other hand, a very important aspect to implement a water reu…

Growth of Arundo donax L. and Cyperus alternifolius L. in a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland using pre-treated urban wastewater - a cas…

2013

Constructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment represent an excellent opportunity for the recovery of water resources in those areas subject to prolonged periods of water shortage. This paper presents a study of the efficiency of a pilot horizontal subsurface flow system using pre-treated urban wastewater from a small town in the West of Sicily. The pilot system had a total surface area of 100 m2 with two units. Unit A was planted with Arundo donax L. and unit B with Cyperus alternifolius L. The HLR was 10 cm d-1. The main objectives of research were to evaluate the growth and biomass yield of two macrophytes and determine the removal efficiency of physical-chemical and microbiologica…

A comprehensive approach to the 3D geological modelling of sedimentary basins: example of Latvia, the central part of the Baltic Basin

2015

This paper presents a semi-automatic approach adapted to the modelling of the geological structure of sedimentary basins. The modelling approach is based on developing the algorithm of the main geological processes so that the geometrical relationship is automatically defined between model elements. The algorithm is based on the assumption that sedimentary basins are formed as a result of the repeated sequence of sedimentation, faulting and erosion. This approach allows of successful modelling of the geological structure of the sedimentary basins with limited data coverage: stratigraphic intervals from well logs describing the thicknesses of sedimentary strata and a limited amount of struct…

A full‐scale study of Darcy‐Weisbach friction factor for channels vegetated by riparian species

2021

In this article, an open channel flow resistance equation, deduced applying dimensional analysis and incomplete self-similarity condition for the flow velocity distribution, was tested using measurements carried out in a full-scale channel equipped with three types of riparian plants (Salix alba L., Salix caprea L. and Alnus glutinosa L.). In the experimental channel, having banks lined with boulders, the vegetation branches were anchored in a concrete bottom. For each species, the measurements were carried out with plants having different amounts of leaves, different plant density and plant area index. The relationship between the scale factor Γ of the velocity profile and the Froude numbe…