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Friday, February 8, 2019
Hubble reveals dynamic atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune
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Enhancement of gasworks groundwater remediation by coupling a bio-electrochemical and activated carbon system
Abstract
Here, we show the electrical response, bacterial community, and remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater from a gasworks site using a graphite-chambered bio-electrochemical system (BES) that utilizes granular activated carbon (GAC) as both sorption agent and high surface area anode. Our innovative concept is the design of a graphite electrode chamber system rather than a classic non-conductive BES chamber coupled with GAC as part of the BES. The GAC BES is a good candidate as a sustainable remediation technology that provides improved degradation over GAC, and near real-time observation of associated electrical output. The BES chambers were effectively colonized by the bacterial communities from the contaminated groundwater. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of UniFrac Observed Taxonomic Units shows distinct grouping of microbial types that are associated with the presence of GAC, and grouping of microbial types associated with electroactivity. Bacterial community analysis showed that β-proteobacteria (particularly the PAH-degrading Pseudomonadaceae) dominate all the samples. Rhodocyclaceae- and Comamonadaceae-related OTU were observed to increase in BES cells. The GAC BES (99% removal) outperformed the control graphite GAC chamber, as well as a graphite BES and a control chamber both filled with glass beads.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2GyLlbS
Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Unactivated Alkylzinc Reagents with 2-Bromo-3,3,3-Trifluoropropene: A New Access to Diversified Fluorinated Amino Acids
Chem. Commun., 2019, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C8CC10212K, Communication
DOI: 10.1039/C8CC10212K, Communication
Xingang Zhang, Yue-Guang Lou, An-Jun Wang, Liang Zhao, Lin-Feng He, Xiaofei Li, Chun-Yang He
A palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of unactivated alkylzinc reagents with 2-bromo-3, 3, 3-trifluoropropene (BTP) has been developed, which was used as a key step to prepare a series of trifluoromethylated and difluoromethylated...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry
A palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of unactivated alkylzinc reagents with 2-bromo-3, 3, 3-trifluoropropene (BTP) has been developed, which was used as a key step to prepare a series of trifluoromethylated and difluoromethylated...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry
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Oreskes et al. amicus brief to CA global warming lawsuits implodes
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2I1OymQ
Using multi-integrated biomarker indexes approach to assess marine quality and health status of marine organism: a case study of Ruditapes philippinarum in Laizhou Bay, China
Abstract
With the progress of technology and the deepening of understanding of biological monitoring, much more attention has been paid to the multiple evaluation of marine pollution monitoring. In view of this, our study aimed at establishing a multi-integrated biomarker indexes approach to evaluate marine condition systematically and comprehensively. In the current study, sampling was conducted in Laizhou Bay, China (S1, S2, and S3) in May, August, and October of 2015. And then, multi-integrated biomarker indexes approach was applied to assess marine PAHs pollution, select appropriate biomarkers, and evaluate marine environmental quality and health status of the clams of Ruditapes philippinarum. As the results showed, S2 was the most PAHs-polluted site while S1 was the least polluted site, and the levels of tPAHs in seawater and sediments ranged from 69.78 to 315.30 ng/L and 163.19 to 565.17 ng/g d.w., respectively. And all three sampling sites had different sources of PAHs. IBR represented DNA damage (F value), the expression of SOD, EROD activity, GST activity, and LPO could be served as biomarkers to monitor the PAHs pollution in Laizhou Bay. And MPI suggested the quality of all three sites: S1 was generally favorable, S2 was moderately polluted, and S3 was lightly polluted. BRI values showed that the order of health status of R. philippinarum was S1 > S3 > S2.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2GklV2o
January Cooling by Land, A Surprise by Sea
With apologies to Paul Revere, this post is on the lookout for cooler weather with an eye on both the Land and the Sea. UAH has updated their tlt (temperatures in lower troposphere) dataset for January. Previously I have done posts on their reading of ocean air temps as a prelude to updated records from HADSST3. This month I will add a separate graph of land air temps because the comparisons and contrasts are interesting as we contemplate possible cooling in coming months and years.
Presently sea surface temperatures (SST) are the best available indicator of heat content gained or lost from earth's climate system. Enthalpy is the thermodynamic term for total heat content in a system, and humidity differences in air parcels affect enthalpy. Measuring water temperature directly avoids distorted impressions from air measurements. In addition, ocean covers 71% of the planet surface and thus dominates surface temperature estimates. Eventually we will likely have reliable means of recording water temperatures at depth.
Recently, Dr. Ole Humlum reported from his research that air temperatures lag 2-3 months behind changes in SST. He also observed that changes in CO2 atmospheric concentrations lag behind SST by 11-12 months. This latter point is addressed in a previous post Who to Blame for Rising CO2?
The January update to HadSST3 will appear later this month, but in the meantime we can look at lower troposphere temperatures (TLT) from UAHv6 which are already posted for January. The temperature record is derived from microwave sounding units (MSU) on board satellites like the one pictured above.
The UAH dataset includes temperature results for air above the oceans, and thus should be most comparable to the SSTs. There is the additional feature that ocean air temps avoid Urban Heat Islands (UHI). The graph below shows monthly anomalies for ocean temps since January 2015.
The anomalies over the entire ocean dropped to the same value, 0.12C in August (Tropics were 0.13C). Warming in previous months was erased, and September added very little warming back. In October and November NH and the Tropics rose, joined by SH. In December 2018 all regions cooled resulting in a global drop of nearly 0.1C. Now in January an upward jump in SH overcame slight cooling in NH and the Tropics, pulling up the Global anomaly as well. While the trajectory is not yet set, it is the highest ocean air January since 2016.
Land Air Temperatures Tracking Downward in Seesaw Pattern
We sometimes overlook that in climate temperature records, while the oceans are measured directly with SSTs, land temps are measured only indirectly. The land temperature records at surface stations record air temps at 2 meters above ground. UAH gives tlt anomalies for air over land separately from ocean air temps. The graph updated for January is below.
The greater volatility of the Land temperatures is evident, and also the dominance of NH, which has twice as much land area as SH. Note how global peaks mirror NH peaks. In December air over Tropics fell sharply, SH slightly, while the NH land surfaces rose, pulling up the Global anomaly for the month. In January both NH and SH cooled slightly, pulling the Global anomaly down despite some Tropical warming. Presently, air temps over land were the lowest January since 2014 both Globally and for the NH, despite warmer temps over SH and Tropical land areas.
Summary
TLTs include mixing above the oceans and probably some influence from nearby more volatile land temps. Clearly NH and Global land temps have been dropping in a seesaw pattern, now more than 1C lower than the peak in 2016. TLT measures started the recent cooling later than SSTs from HadSST3, but are now showing the same pattern. It seems obvious that despite the three El Ninos, their warming has not persisted, and without them it would probably have cooled since 1995. Of course, the future has not yet been written.
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[ASAP] A Desalination Battery Combining Cu3[Fe(CN)6]2 as a Na-Storage Electrode and Bi as a Cl-Storage Electrode Enabling Membrane-Free Desalination
Chemistry of Materials
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b00084
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White House blasts AOC’s Green New Deal: ‘Central planning disaster’
The Hill: White House blasts AOC's Green New Deal: 'Central planning disaster' | TheHill. http://bit.ly/2GxvkmH The White House lambasted the Green New Deal climate resolution spearheaded by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(D-N.Y.) this week slamming it as a "central planning disaster" and "a roadmap to destroy the American Economy." White House spokesperson Judd Deere said in a [...]
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2UPjDf0
Orchard management under the effects of climate change: implications for apple, plum, and almond growing
Abstract
The authors analyzed certain species and varieties of fruit tree in which applied crop technology is used and also undergoes the effects of climate change. The aim is to extend productive crop varieties, resistant to disease and pests, in order to obtain superior yields. The research was conducted in orchards located in northwestern Romania (on 8.59 ha), intensively cultivated with apple, plum, and almond species. The blooming period of the species and fruit production was studied in 2009, the first year of the farm's commercial production, and then compared to figures from 2016 to see the changes that occurred. Climatic conditions were studied throughout the period of existence of the farm (2002–2016). To determine the influence of the climatic factor on the blooming and production periods, respectively, every year is considered having pre-blooming, blooming, and ripening periods. It was found that climate change influences the annual biological cycle of the trees: the vegetative rest period of the trees shortens, the tree vegetation begins earlier in the spring, and the blooming period is advanced by as much as 10 days compared to normal cultivated varieties. All these factors have direct repercussions on the quantity of production.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2GuMu4q
Comparison of different sequential extraction procedures for mercury fractionation in polluted soils
Abstract
Three sequential extraction procedures (SEPs), modified Tessier, modified BCR, and CIEMAT, were compared for mercury fractionation in polluted soils. With satisfactory total mercury recovery, the modified Tessier and modified BCR SEPs were comparable with each other in terms of extraction efficiency in equivalent mercury fractions, whereas both SEPs were not as efficient as the CIEMAT SEP. However, the CIEMAT SEP might underestimate the oxidizable mercury fractions due to the humic and fulvic complexes instead of the organic matter of the other two SEPs. For mercury bioavailability identification, based on Pearson correlation analysis, all fractions in each SEP were significantly correlated with mercury uptake in Ipomoea aquatica, causing difficulty in comparison. Partial correlation analysis indicated that the mobile mercury fractions extracted by the first step in all three SEPs had a positive correlation with mercury uptake by plant, while mercury bound to organic matter extracted by both modified Tessier and modified BCR SEPs presented negative correlation with mercury uptake by plant which was in contrast to CIEMAT SEP. Meanwhile, clearly positive correlations between mercury fractions extracted by the former three steps of CIEMAT SEP and mercury uptake in Ipomoea aquatica were observed, demonstrating that CIEMAT SEP provided more accurate results related to Hg bioavailability than did the other two SEPs.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Skn8ND
Algae turf scrubber and vertical constructed wetlands combined system for decentralized secondary wastewater treatment
Abstract
Water shortage is a current problem faced by many regions. The deterioration of water bodies driven by the directly discard of untreated wastewater worsens the water shortage and implies in more costly treatments to meet local standards for water quality. In rural areas, the problem is even worse, once conventional centralized treatment plants do not encompass them. Decentralized treatment systems must present low-cost, local availability, standards-meeting efficiency, and simplified operation. The present study examines the combined use of algae turf scrubber and down-flow vertical constructed wetlands for a University's sanitary wastewater treatment. After a hydraulic detention time of 21 days, the unit was able to reach 49%, 48%, 98%, 82%, 99.2%, 70.1%, 44%, 83%, 72%, 86%, 69%, 95%, and 99.9% for conductivity, total soluble solids, turbidity, apparent color, N-NH3, total nitrogen, P-soluble, total carbon, chemical oxygen demand, inorganic carbon, TOC, Escherichia coli, and total coliforms. In accord to the Brazilian standard ABNT 13969/97, the treated effluent is eligible for reuse in floor and sidewalks washing, garden irrigation, and landscaping purposes.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2GyIGPM
[ASAP] Three-Dimensional and Chemical Mapping of Intracellular Signaling Nanodomains in Health and Disease with Enhanced Expansion Microscopy
ACS Nano
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b08742
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[ASAP] Two 3D Cobalt(II) Metal–Organic Frameworks with Micropores for Selective Dye Adsorption
Inorganic Chemistry
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b03194
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Florida Appeals Court: “Everglades open for oil drilling”… Drill, baby, drill!
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Sea level rise whiplash
by Judith Curry
Some recent sea level rise publications, with implications for how we think about the worst case scenario for the 21st century.
Less than 3 months ago, I published my Special Report on Sea Level and Climate Change. I remarked on what a fast moving field this was, particularly with regards to the ice sheet dynamics. This past week has seen the publication of 3 new papers that substantially change our thinking on the worst case scenario for the 21st century.
The back story is given in two CarbonBrief articles:
- Sea level rise projections for 2100 nearly doubled
- Studies shed new light on Antarctica's future contribution to sea level rise
See also this article in National Geographic
From the Carbon Brief:
In 2016, a paper by Deconto and Pollard grabbed headlines with the finding that Antarctic ice was at risk from "marine ice-cliff instability", which would see towering cliffs of glacier ice collapse into the ocean under their own weight. The 2016 study generated a lot of media coverage, even making the frontpage of the New York Times. It became the most talked-about climate paper of that year.
The past few weeks have seen publication of a number of relevant papers, that point to a much lower sea level rise than predicted by DeConto and Pollard (2016).
Revisiting Antarctic ice loss due to marine ice-cliff instability
Tamsin Edwards et al.
Abstract. "Predictions for sea-level rise this century due to melt from Antarctica range from zero to more than one metre. The highest predictions are driven by the controversial marine ice-cliff instability (MICI) hypothesis, which assumes that coastal ice cliffs can rapidly collapse after ice shelves disintegrate, as a result of surface and sub-shelf melting caused by global warming. But MICI has not been observed in the modern era and it remains unclear whether it is required to reproduce sea-level variations in the geological past. Here we quantify ice-sheet modelling uncertainties for the original MICI study and show that the probability distributions are skewed towards lower values (under very high greenhouse gas concentrations, the most likely value is 45 centimetres). However, MICI is not required to reproduce sea-level changes due to Antarctic ice loss in the mid-Pliocene epoch, the last interglacial period or 1992–2017; without it we find that the projections agree with previous studies (all 95th percentiles are less than 43 centimetres). We conclude that previous interpretations of these MICI projections over-estimate sea-level rise this century; because the MICI hypothesis is not well constrained, confidence in projections with MICI would require a greater range of observationally constrained models of ice-shelf vulnerability and ice-cliff collapse."
Global environmental consequences of 21st century ice sheet melt
Nicholas Golledge et al.
Abstract. "Government policies currently commit us to surface warming of three to four degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100, which will lead to enhanced ice-sheet melt. Ice-sheet discharge was not explicitly included in CMIP5, so effects on climate from this melt are not currently captured in the simulations most commonly used to inform governmental policy. Here we show, using simulations of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets constrained by satellite-based measurements of recent changes in ice mass, that increasing meltwater from Greenland will lead to substantial slowing of the Atlantic overturning circulation, and that meltwater from Antarctica will trap warm water below the sea surface, creating a positive feedback that increases Antarctic ice loss. In our simulations, future ice-sheet melt enhances global temperature variability and contributes up to 25 centimetres to sea level by 2100. However, uncertainties in the way in which future changes in ice dynamics are modelled remain, underlining the need for continued observations and comprehensive multi-model assessments."
From Carbon Brief, quoting Golledge::
"AR5 gave mean contributions for 2081-2100 of 4 cm from Antarctica and 12 cm from Greenland. In our new study, we suggest 14 cm from Antarctica and 11 cm from Greenland at 2100, so an increase to the Antarctic term and just above the upper bound of the AR5 uncertainty range (-6 cm to 12 cm)."
Tamsin Edwards has a good blog post on these two papers:
"We found the Antarctic contribution to sea level this century is smaller than implied by DeConto and Pollard's study. They had shown mean values ranging from 64 to 114cm, but our most likely value is only 45 cm. This is still definitely bad news, and we also couldn't rule out values much higher than this. But we found the balance of probability leaned towards much lower numbers than before."
"We found that including MICI is not necessary to explain the past, and therefore it might not be present in the future – at least, we don't have much evidence to support it yet. Leaving it out gives much smaller sea level contributions: a most likely value of only 15 cm, one metre less than the highest projections of DeConto and Pollard, and a 5% probability of more than 39 cm."
From the Carbon Brief article:
"The chart below shows the likelihood of Antarctica exceeding one metre of sea level rise in the new simulations. It includes three emissions scenarios: low (RCP2.6, grey), intermediate (RCP4.5, blue) and high (RCP8.5, red), with and without MICI. The lines show how the probability changes through time."
"So, for example, under high emissions with MICI, the likelihood of more than one metre of sea level rise from Antarctica emerges above zero around the 2080s, and rapidly increases until it becomes a certainty (within the model) in the 2130s. Without MICI, there is no risk of one metre of sea level rise within this century, but it does emerge relatively early in the 22nd century."
Only for the borderline impossible RCP8.5 scenario with MICI, is there about a 50% chance of exceeding 1 m sea level rise in the 21st century.
Solid Earth Change and the Evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
Pippa Whitehouse et al.
Abstract. "Recent studies suggest that Antarctica has the potential to contribute up to ~15 m of sea-level rise over the next few centuries. The evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is driven by a combination of climate forcing and non-climatic feedbacks. In this review we focus on feedbacks between the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the solid Earth, and the role of these feedbacks in shaping the response of the ice sheet to past and future climate changes. The growth and decay of the Antarctic Ice Sheet reshapes the solid Earth via isostasy and erosion. In turn, the shape of the bed exerts a fundamental control on ice dynamics as well as the position of the grounding line the location where ice starts to float. A complicating issue is the fact that Antarctica is situated on a region of the Earth that displays large spatial variations in rheological properties. These properties affect the timescale and strength of feedbacks between ice-sheet change and solid Earth deformation, and hence must be accounted for when considering the future evolution of the ice sheet."
The punchline of this study (at least in terms of my own interest) is hidden in the main text, not really apparent from the abstract:
"It has been shown that GIA-related sea-level and solid Earth changes, including changes to the slope of the underlying bed, alter the stress field of the ice sheet in a way that acts to dampen and slow past and future ice-sheet growth and retreat in Antarctica. An important process that is also accounted for in these coupled models is the feedback between isostatically-driven ice surface elevation change and surface mass balance."
"The Earth structure underneath the AIS is highly variable, and viscosities may be as low as 10** 18 Pa s beneath parts of West Antarctica, leading to substantial (i.e., metres to tens of metres of) viscoelastic uplift occurring on centennial or even decadal timescales, with consequent implications for ice sheet evolution."
"For a moderate climate warming, uplift of the LVZ Earth model preserves much of West Antarctica as compared to the simulation with the HV Earthmodel. While, for the simulation where strong RCP 8.5 climate warming is applied and new rapid-retreat-promoting ice physics are added (hydrofracturing and cliff failure e.g. MICI), West Antarctica collapses early on regardless of the choice of Earth Model."
JC reflections
My original motivation for assessing the RCP8.5 scenario was that all of the really catastrophic sea level rise scenarios for the 21st century seem to depend on rather extreme (if not impossible) levels of CO2 and radiative forcing. If you take away RCP8.5 scenarios, SLR is not so alarming, at least on the time scale of the 21st century.
Of the three papers, the Whitehouse one may be the most important (the other two seem part of the WAIS MICI whiplash phenomena – who knows what the next round of papers will show). However, Whitehouse et al. has gotten zero press attention. Perhaps because youou have to dig deep to figure out the broader climate implications of the paper. Hopefully my little blog post will draw some extra attention to the this paper.
After the extreme alarm associated with the 2016 DeConto and Pollard paper, we are seeing a whiplash back to more reasonable (and less alarming values) of 21st century sea level rise. DeConto presented a talk at AGU on the latest simulations, apparently they are also predicting lower sea level rise from MICI, but the paper is under review and they are not publicly commenting on it yet.
The rapidity of the ice sheet instability research reminds me of the heyday in 2006 of the hurricane and global warming research, with weekly whiplash between alarming papers and nothing-here-to-see papers. I assume that this research topic will generally converge to an agreed upon list of things we don't know, so we can better constrain the worst case sea level rise scenario for the 21st century.
In any event, to me this seems like the most interesting, fast moving and important topic in climate research right now.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TGdhhM
Effect of EDTA and NTA on cadmium distribution and translocation in Pennisetum purpureum Schum cv. Mott
Abstract
The primary objective of this research was to investigate the cadmium (Cd) distribution in Pennisetum purpurem (Napier grass) in the presence of 30 mg/L of Cd and different types and concentrations of chelating agents (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium dihydrate (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and EDTA-NTA mixtures). Plant samples were collected every 15 d during a 105-d experimental period. Accumulation of Cd in each part of the plant was determined using atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS), and the distribution of Cd was determined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) and synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR-micro-XRF). The highest concentrations of Cd accumulation of 889 ± 53 mg kg−1 in the underground part (roots) and 265 ± 26 mg kg−1 in the aboveground part (stems and leaves) in the presence of 1:1 M ratio of Cd:EDTA after 30 d of exposure were observed. Plants grown in the presence of either NTA or EDTA-NTA mixtures showed significant lower Cd accumulation levels. The LA-ICP-MS analysis showed that Cd was primarily accumulated in the aboveground part (stems and leaves), especially in the xylem and intercalary meristem. In addition, translocation factor was very low. Thus, P. purpurem could be considered as a candidate plant for cadmium phytostabilization.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2BuhKwW
Rapid and versatile pre-treatment for quantification of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the environment using microwave-induced heating
Abstract
The concerns regarding potential environmental release and ecological risks of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) rise with their increased production and use. As a result, there is the need for an analytical method to determine the environmental concentration of MWCNTs. Although several methods have been demonstrated for the quantification of well-characterized MWCNTs, applying these methods to field samples is still a challenge due to interferences from unknown characteristics of MWCNTs and environmental media. To bridge this gap, a recently developed microwave-induced heating method was investigated for the quantification of MWCNTs in field samples. Our results indicated that the microwave response of MWCNTs was independent of the sources, length, and diameter of MWCNTs; however, the aggregated MWCNTs were not able to convert the microwave energy to heat, making the method inapplicable. Thus, a pre-treatment process for dispersing bundled MWCNTs in field samples was crucial for the use of the microwave method. In the present paper, a two-step pre-treatment procedure was proposed: the aggregated MWCNTs loaded environmental samples were first exposed to high temperature (500 °C) and then dispersed by using an acetone-surfactant solution. A validation study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process, showing that an 80–120% recovery range of true MWCNT loading successfully covered the microwave-measured MWCNT mass.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TBxiG9
Limitations imposed by conventional fine bubble diffusers on the design of a high-loaded membrane bioreactor (HL-MBR)
Abstract
The operation of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) at higher than usual mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations may enhance the loading rate treatment capacity while minimizing even further the system's footprint. This requires operating the MBR at the highest possible MLSS concentration and biomass activity (e.g., at high loading rates and low solid retention times (SRTs)). Both a negative effect of the MLSS concentrations and a positive effect of the SRT on the oxygen transfer have been reported when using conventional fine bubble diffusers. However, most of the evaluations have been carried out either at extremely high SRTs or at low MLSS concentrations eventually underestimating the effects of the MLSS concentration on the oxygen transfer. This research evaluated the current limitations imposed by fine bubble diffusers in the context of the high-loaded MBR (HL-MBR) (i.e., high MLSS and short SRT—the latter emulated by concentrating municipal sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operated at a short SRT of approximately 5 days). The high MLSS concentrations and the short SRT of the original municipal sludge induced a large fraction of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) in the sludge, promoting a large amount of sludge flocs that eventually accumulated on the surface of the bubbles and reduced the free water content of the suspension. Moreover, the short SRTs at which the original municipal sludge was obtained eventually appear to have promoted the accumulation of surfactants in the sludge mixture. This combination exhibited a detrimental effect on the oxygen transfer. Fine bubble diffusers limit the maximum MLSS concentration for a HL-MBR at 30 g L−1; beyond that point is either not technically or not economically feasible to operate; an optimum MLSS concentration of 20 g L−1 is suggested to maximize the treatment capacity while minimizing the system's footprint.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2BC5pan
Taking the bait: species taking oral rabies vaccine baits intended for raccoons
Abstract
Raccoon rabies in eastern USA is managed by strategically distributing oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits. The attractiveness, palativity, density, and non-target species bait take affect ORV effectiveness. We examined raccoon and non-target species differences in investigating/removing fish-meal polymer and coated sachet baits applied to simulate two aerial bait distribution densities. Bait densities of 150 baits/km2 and 75 baits/km2 were evaluated, respectively, in zones expected to have high and low raccoon densities. Three primary non-target species visited baits: coyotes, white-tailed deer, and feral swine. The proportion of bait stations visited by raccoons during 1 week observation periods ranged from 50 to 70%, exceeding non-target species visitation. Raccoon take rates for visited baits averaged from 59 to 100%. Raccoon visitation was similar for both bait densities, indicating a proportionally greater quantity of baits were taken in the higher bait density zone. Coyote visitation rates ranged from 16 to 26%, with take rates for visited baits between 46 and 100%. Coyotes were expected to take baits intended for raccoons, because similar baits are applied to vaccinate coyotes. Deer regularly investigated but rarely took baits. Feral swine were in low abundance in the high bait density zone (higher human density) and visited ≤ 1% of baits there but visited baits at frequencies similar to coyotes and deer in the low-density zone and were likely to take encountered baits (63–100%). Non-target bait consumption could be a concern in some circumstances for achieving sufficient raccoon sero-conversion rates.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TDsH6r
Gummer To Be Investigated By Commissioner For Standards in House of Lords
By Paul Homewood
This is hot off the press:
It has been officially announced that John Gummer/AKA Lord Deben is now the subject of an inquiry by the Commissioner for Standards in the House of Lords, for alleged breach of the Code in relation to registration and declaration of interests.
This follows the revelation that his family company has benefited to the tune of £600k of income from companies which stand to make profit directly from the advice to the government from the Commission on Climate Change. which Gummer chairs.
My understanding is that the inquiry does not relate specifically to this. It would appear though that Gummer has made several speeches in the House of Lords, to similar effect to the advice already given to government, without declaring his financial interests in the matter.
This is potentially a far more serious accusation than any potential misconduct at the CCC, as Parliament takes such matters much more seriously.
Without wanting to prejudge the issue, it is hard to see how Gummer can hang onto his role at the CCC for much longer.
Watch this space!
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2DlYYYQ
Why Is HUD Ghosting America’s Hurricane-Ravaged Communities?
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader https://on.nrdc.org/2tehgqf
Record Lobster Production Defies Alarmist Climate Scare
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2RLZm8c
Forecast suggests Earth’s warmest period on record
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2DZFgUq
Effects of acetaminophen in oxidative stress and neurotoxicity biomarkers of the gastropod Phorcus lineatus
Abstract
The growing use of pharmaceutical drugs has become a major environmental issue considering that these substances (or their metabolites) end up inevitably in sewage waters after excretion. In the wild, these chemicals may affect non-target organisms, and their potential toxicity is not sufficiently studied, a reality that is particularly true for marine organisms. Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) is known to be toxic in high dosages, namely, by triggering oxidative effects. These effects may be potentiated in marine organisms subjected to contamination resulting from large human settlements along coastal areas. In order to assess how different exposure regimes (acute vs. chronic) may affect aquatic wildlife, individuals of the gastropod species Phorcus lineatus were acutely (96 h) and chronically (28 days) exposed to ecologically relevant concentrations of acetaminophen. The effects were evaluated through the quantification of selected biomarkers—catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and cholinesterase (ChE) activities. The results from acute exposure showed no significant effects in all three biomarkers, but chronically exposed organisms showed significant increases in the activities of CAT and ChEs. The data show that P. lineatus triggered a defensive biological response in the presence of acetaminophen, and also show that realistically low levels of acetaminophen can exert adaptive changes with unknown consequences.
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2WTbg3J
[ASAP] Growing Nanoscale Model Surfaces to Enable Correlation of Catalytic Behavior Across Dissimilar Reaction Environments
Chemistry of Materials
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b04595
from Journals via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2SGXrWQ
Washington State v. Trump in Fight to Save Salmon, Orcas
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader https://on.nrdc.org/2UIzwDU
Week 107: The Butterfly Effect of Trump’s Inhumane Border Wall
from Climate Change Skeptic Blogs via hj on Inoreader https://on.nrdc.org/2I35NnG
[ASAP] Pressure Dependence of Electrical Conductivity of Black Titania Hydrogenated at Different Temperatures
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b12056
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[ASAP] Emerging Design Principles for Enhanced Solar Energy Utilization with Singlet Fission
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b10876
from Journals via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2tafdna
[ASAP] Dual pH Gradient and Voltage Modulation of Ion Transport and Current Rectification in Biomimetic Nanopores Functionalized with a pH-Tunable Polyelectrolyte
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11707
from Journals via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2HYZOjO
[ASAP] Thermoelectric Switching of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes due to Encapsulation of Iodine Atomic Chain
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b10929
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[ASAP] NIR Emission and Acid-Induced Intramolecular Electron Transfer Derived from a SOMO–HOMO Converted Non-Aufbau Electronic Structure
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b08574
from Journals via hj on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2HZ0mpS
[ASAP] Flow-Induced Transport via Optical Heating of a Single Gold Nanoparticle
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11575
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[ASAP] Ring-Puckering Motion of Azetidinium Cations in a Metal–Organic Perovskite [(CH2)3NH2][M(HCOO)3] (M = Zn, Mg)—A Thermal and 1H NMR Relaxation Study
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11789
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[ASAP] Fully Ambient Air Processed Perovskite Solar Cell Based on Co(Co,Cr)2O4/TiO2 P–N Heterojunction Array in Photoanode
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11650
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This is the fourth in a series of posts based upon Jordan Peterson's book Maps of Meaning, published in 1999 after 17 years of researc...
