News Item
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Simone Anzellini
Summary: Under high pressure and temperature, water can form two crystalline phases known as hot 'black' ices due to their partial opacity. A detailed characterization of these phases may help explain magnetic field formation in giant icy planets like Neptune.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raul Perianez, Fangli Qiao, Chang Zhao, Govert de With, Kyung-Tae Jung, Chalermrat Sangmanee, Guansuo Wang, Changshui Xia, Min Zhang
Summary: A numerical model was used to simulate the transport of Cs-137 released with the cooling waters of Fukushima reactors, which will be released into the Pacific Ocean according to Japanese government plans. The radionuclide transport model accounts for interactions with sediments and biota uptake through a dynamic foodweb model. Conservative calculations suggest that concentrations in sediments and marine fish are expected to be significantly lower than those detected post-Fukushima and below global fallout background levels.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hironori Funaki, Hideki Tsuji, Takahiro Nakanishi, Kazuya Yoshimura, Kazuyuki Sakuma, Seiji Hayashi
Summary: Reservoir sediments can act as a sink for radionuclides, but in anaerobic conditions, Cs-137 can remobilize from sediments to water columns in bioavailable form. This study found that in highly contaminated reservoirs affected by the Fukushima accident, Cs-137 activities in sediment-pore water were significantly higher than in reservoir water, with K-d values decreasing with depth and showing a negative correlation with NH4+ concentration. This indicates a continuous supply of bioavailable Cs-137 from the surrounding catchment area, making reservoir sediments a long-term important source of Cs-137 in riverine systems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Junjie Hu, Huayanran Zhou, Yihong Zhou, Haijing Zhang, Lars Nordstromd, Guangya Yang
Summary: This study utilizes a deep learning technique, temporal convolution network (TCN) combined transformer, to predict the aggregated flexibility of two types of demand response (DR) resources, EVs and DHWS, by using historical power consumption data and DR signals. Simulation results validate the accuracy of the flexibility prediction and demonstrate the potential of unlocking demand-side flexibility.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fuqiong Xu, Zihao Ma, Xing Wang, Qingyu Wang, Ying Han, Yao Li, Guangwei Sun
Summary: This study presents a one-step method for separating and functionalizing lignin from liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment solution. A hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (hDES) was used to effectively extract Cr (VI) from the solution.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Seung-Tae Lee, Jihun Jung, Guebuem Kim, Yong-Jin Tak, Yang-Ki Cho
Summary: The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011 released a large amount of radioactive materials into the ocean. This study used a three-dimensional numerical model to track the dispersion of Cs-137 released directly from the FDNPP in the North Pacific Ocean from 2011 to 2020. The results showed that Cs-137 spread in the subsurface by Sub-Tropical Mode Water (STMW) and Central Mode Water (CMW), with a clockwise dispersion pattern primarily in the sub-tropical region.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Nuclear Science & Technology
Tuomo Sevon
Summary: Measuring the water level in the Fukushima Daiichi reactors was challenging due to the distortion caused by boiling water in the measurement system. Analysis using the MELCOR code revealed that a small steam leak from a steam line to the drywell before 6.5 hours after the earthquake could reproduce the behavior of the measurement system. This finding supports previous conclusions from a Japanese accident investigation committee and TEPCO's analyses. The steam leak did not have a significant impact on the release of cesium to the environment.
PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Zhang Xixi, Qu Tongkun, Wang Yecheng
Summary: This study uses evolutionary game theory to construct a game model of the optimal strategic behavior of the Japanese government, stakeholder countries, and the domestic public in the proposed nuclear waste water discharge. The results indicate that the participation of stakeholder countries will prevent the Japanese government from violating marine environmental policy, while the involvement of the Japanese public can act as a regulatory mechanism with the potential for free-rider phenomenon. The strategic choices of the Japanese government are mainly influenced by factors such as the cost of nuclear waste water treatment devices and storage costs.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Liang Yu, Weizhuo Xu
Summary: This article adopts a human rights approach to examine Japan's policy on releasing nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. It argues for the need to challenge Japan's decision based on human rights and emphasizes the increasing importance of extraterritorial obligations in the era of economic globalization. The article provides a logical interpretation of human rights treaty provisions and argues that Japan has multiple extraterritorial obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights in the release of nuclear contaminated water.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Sabyasachi Chakrabortty, Suma Debsarma
Summary: The paper investigates the crossing sea state situation characterized by two obliquely interacting water wave systems having different carrier frequencies in finite depth domain. Nonlinear evolution equations are derived to study the instability properties of two obliquely interacting uniform wave trains for both unidirectional and bidirectional perturbations. It is found that the growth rate of modulational instability increases with the decrease in angle of interaction of the two wave systems and also with the increase in the ratio of the carrier wave numbers of the two wave systems. The growth rate of instability decreases with the increase in water depth, while it increases with the increase in wave steepness of the second wave system.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Merichel Plaza, Maria Luisa Marina
Summary: Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) is a sustainable technique for extracting bioactive compounds without using organic solvents. This review provides an overview of PHWE fundamentals and its applications in recovering bioactive compounds from 2019 onwards. It also discusses the latest trends in PHWE, including its combination with other advanced extraction techniques and the use of natural deep eutectic solvents to enhance extraction yields.
TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Alexei Konoplev
Summary: In the aftermath of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents, radiocesium has become a major concern due to its ease of movement through the environment and uptake by plants and animals. The behavior of Cs-137 is influenced by its chemical forms and site-specific environmental characteristics. Differences in climate, geomorphology, and speciation of Cs-137 in the fallout lead to variations in migration rates and natural attenuation. In Fukushima, Cs-137 binds strongly to soil and sediment particles, reducing its bioavailability. Disintegration of hot glassy particles containing Cs-137 in the environment is slower than Chernobyl-derived fuel particles. The higher erosion and radiocesium wash-off in Fukushima-contaminated areas is attributed to higher annual precipitation and steep slopes. Similarities between Chernobyl and Fukushima include slow decrease in Cs-137 activity concentration in small lakes and seasonal variations.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Laura J. Gardner, Sam A. Walling, Claire L. Corkhill, Neil C. Hyatt
Summary: Ion exchange materials are commonly used for removing radionuclides from contaminated water in nuclear sites, with chabazite showing particular selectivity for Cs-137 uptake. Hot isostatic pressing effectively transforms Cs-exchanged chabazite into a durable glass-ceramic wasteform, with Cs preferentially incorporated into Cs/K-feldspar. This processing technology yields wasteforms with comparable or lower Cs release rates than vitrified high level wastes.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luis Mejia-Ortiz, Mary C. Christman, Tanja Pipan, David C. Culver
Summary: The study in two caves near Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico, found variations in relative humidity at different sites, with deviations concentrated at the end of nortes and beginning of the rainy season. Most sites showed strong seasonality in RH, but periods of constant high humidity were not consistent. The troglomorphic fauna was uniformly spread throughout the caves, without concentration in specific RH conditions.
Article
Agronomy
Qiushi Yu, Jingqi Wang, Hui Tang, Jiaxi Zhang, Wenjie Zhang, Liantao Liu, Nan Wang
Summary: Roots are important for water and nutrient absorption in crops. Obtaining accurate root phenotype information is crucial for root phenomics research. The in situ root research method can acquire root images without damaging the roots, but soil shading affects the integrity. Therefore, there is a need to explore methods for ensuring accurate root identification and image reconstruction in situ.