South East Water (Australia)

Abstract Epithermal deposits are important sources of gold and silver that form at <1.5-km depth and <300°C in high-temperature, mainly subaerial hydrothermal systems. Such hydrothermal systems commonly develop in association with calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatism, in volcanic arcs at convergent plate margins, as well as in intra-arc, back-arc, and postcollisional rift settings. Many important deposits are T ertiary and younger in age and are concentrated around the Pacific Rim and in the Mediterranean and Carpathian regions of Europe. Older deposits occur in the Tethyan arc from Europe to Asia and others are scattered in volcanic arcs of all ages with rare examples as old as Archean. Precious metal mineralization develops in zones of high paleopermeability, hosted within sequences of coeval volcanic and underlying basement rocks. V eins with steep dips are common and these tend to host highest grade ores. Precious metal mineralization also occurs in breccias, coarse clastic rocks, and intensely leached rocks; such disseminated ore is much lower in grade but greater in total tonnage and may be amenable to bulk mining methods. Deposits and districts, comprising one or more orebodies, cover areas from <10 to -200 km2. Epithermal deposits have been classified on the basis of alteration and gangue mineral assemblages, metal contents, sulfide contents, and sulfide mineral assemblages, and each classification scheme has its merits. Because ores are oxidized by weathering, we prefer a classification that utilizes gangue mineral assemblages. We describe two types of mineralization associated with quartz + calcite + adularia + illite and quartz + alunite + pyrophyllite + dickite + kaolinite assemblages, which reflect the pH of hydrothermal solutions. Epithermal deposits associated with quartz + calcite + adularia + illite contain Au-Ag, Ag-Au, or Ag-Pb-Zn ores. Electrum, acanthite, silver sulfosalts, silver selenides, and Au-Ag tellurides are the main gold- and silver -bearing minerals, with generally minor sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite; in some deposits base metals dominate the metal assemblage. Quartz is the principal gangue mineral accompanied by variable amounts of chalcedony, adularia, illite, pyrite, calcite, and/or rhodochrosite, the latter in more Ag- and base metal-rich deposits. Distinctively banded crustiform-colloform textures, and lattice textures comprising aggregates of platy calcite and their quartz pseudomorphs, are common. Hydrothermal alteration is zoned and comprises deep regional propylitic alteration, which gives way upward to increasing amounts of clay, carbonate, and zeolite minerals, whereas quartz, adularia, illite, and pyrite form proximal alteration zones enveloping orebodies. Ore-grade mineralization commonly terminates upward, and where there has been minimal erosion, it can be concealed beneath regionally extensive blankets of clay-carbonate-pyrite or kaolinite-alunite-opal +pyrite alteration. Fluid inclusion data indicate salinities are commonly <5 wt percent NaCl equiv for Au-Ag deposits and <10 to >20 wt percent NaCl equiv for Ag-Pb-Zn deposits. Stable isotope data indicate that hydrothermal solutions were composed mostly of deeply circulated meteoric water, with a nil to small and variable component of mag-matic water. Epithermal deposits associated with quartz + alunite + pyrophyllite + dickite + kaolinite assemblages contain Au + Ag + Cu ores. Native gold and electrum are the main ore-bearing minerals, with variable amounts of pyrite, Cu-bearing sulfides and sulfosalts such as enargite, luzonite, covellite, tetrahedrite, and tennantite, plus sphalerite and telluride minerals; enargite dominates the Cu sulfides and indicates a high-sulfidation state. Quartz (both massive and vuggy) and alunite are the main gangue minerals with kandite minerals (dickite and/or kaolinite) and/or pyrophyllite. Concentric patterns of hydrothermal alteration envelop thEzone of vuggy and massive quartz alteration, which hosts ore. Outward, these comprisEzones of quartz and alunite, dickite + kaolinite or pyrophyllite, and illite or smectite alteration, surrounded by regional propylitic alteration. Zones of illite or pyrophyllite alteration occur in the roots beneath some deposits. Fluid inclusion data indicate that salinities are typically <5 to 10 wt percent NaCl equiv but may be as high as >30 wt percent NaCl equiv. Stable isotope data indicate that the altering fluids are composed mostly of magmatic fluids with a minor to moderate component of meteoric water. Critical genetic factors include: (1) at several-kilometers depth, the development of oxidized and acidic versus reduced and near-neutral pH solutions, controlled by the proportions of magmatic and meteoric components in solution, and the amount of subsequent water -rock interaction during ascent to the epithermal environment; (2) at epithermal depths, the development of boiling and/or mixing conditions which create sharp physical and chemical gradients conducive to precious and base metal precipitation; and (3) at shallow level, the position of the water table, which controls the hydrostatic pressure-temperature gradients at depth where epithermal mineralization forms. Epithermal mineralization can occur in large areas, with orebodies that range in shape, size, and grade, and lie easily concealed beneath blankets of clay alteration or unaltered volcanic deposits. Efficient exploration requires integration of all geological, geochemical, and geophysical data, from regional to deposit scale. Vein mineralogy and texture, patterns of hydrothermal alteration, patterns of geochemical dispersion, and three-dimensional interpretation of related geophysical signatures are important guides. W illingness to drill is crucial, as surface features may not reliably indicate what is present at depth.

Efficient solar steam generation and concurrent salt harvesting from saline water were achieved with both continuous operation and long-term stability.

ISUOG Interim Guidance on ultrasound for Zika virus infection in pregnancy: information for healthcare professionalsIn response to the World Health Organization (WHO) statements and international concerns regarding the Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak, ISUOG is publishing the following guidance for ultrasound during pregnancy.With the current uncertainty regarding many aspects of the diagnosis and clinical course of ZIKV infection in pregnancy, potentially valuable information may be obtained by ultrasound practitioners that may help in counseling pregnant women and further improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of ZIKV infection in pregnancy.This statement is not intended to replace previously published interim guidance on evaluation and management of ZIKV-exposed pregnant women.It should therefore be considered in conjunction with other relevant advice from organizations such as: WHO

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The shedding of pathogens by infected humans enables the use of sewage monitoring to conduct wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Although most WBE studies use data from large sewage treatment plants, timely data from smaller catchments are needed for targeted public health action. Traditional sampling methods, like autosamplers or grab sampling, are not conducive to quick ad hoc deployments and high-resolution monitoring at these smaller scales. This study develops and validates a cheap and easily deployable passive sampler unit, made from readily available consumables, with relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic but with broader use for WBE. We provide the first evidence that passive samplers can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater from populations with low prevalence of active COVID-19 infections (0.034 to 0.34 per 10,000), demonstrating their ability for early detection of infections at three different scales (lot, suburb, and city). A side by side evaluation of passive samplers ( n = 245) and traditionally collected wastewater samples ( n = 183) verified that the passive samplers were sensitive at detecting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. On all 33 days where we directly compared traditional and passive sampling techniques, at least one passive sampler was positive when the average SARS-CoV-2 concentration in the wastewater equaled or exceeded the quantification limit of 1.8 gene copies per mL ( n = 7). Moreover, on 13 occasions where wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations were less than 1.8 gene copies per mL, one or more passive samplers were positive. Finally, there was a statistically significant ( p < 0.001) positive relationship between the concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the levels found on the passive samplers, indicating that with further evaluation, these devices could yield semi-quantitative results in the future. Passive samplers have the potential for wide use in WBE with attractive feasibility attributes of cost, ease of deployment at small-scale locations, and continuous sampling of the wastewater. Further research will focus on the optimization of laboratory methods including elution and extraction and continued parallel deployment and evaluations in a variety of settings to inform optimal use in wastewater surveillance.

A novel thin-film nanocomposite forward-osmosis (FO) membrane was fabricated on hydrophilic nylon microfiltration (MF) support by interfacial polymerization with the assistance of an intermediate layer of graphene oxide and multiwall carbon nanotube (GO/MWCNT). The chemical composition, structure, and surface properties of the synthesized FO membranes were studied using various characterization methods. It was found that the GO/MWCNT composite layer not only provided ultrafast nanochannels for water transport but also reduced the thickness of the polyamide layer by up to 60%. As a result, the novel FO membrane exhibited a higher water flux and lower reverse salt flux compared with the membrane synthesized without the GO/MWCNT intermediate layer. This method offers promising opportunities to fabricate thin-film composite membranes on microfiltration substrates for FO application with inhibited concentration polarization phenomenon and expected separation performance.

Conventional polymers are environmentally damaging materials; therefore, global efforts are being made to gradually replace these conventional polymers with bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics due to claims of being more sustainable than petroleum-based plastics. However, such claims may not be based on reality, and unregulated bio plastics may cause environmental anarchy similar to conventional plastics. The degradation of bioplastics has received significant attention because it is the parameter used to evaluate their end-of-life disposal and to assess their environmental shortcomings - where the bioplastics which degrade completely in different environments, thus, considered as an environmental-friendly polymers. Upon disposal, the bioplastics decompose in a bio-active medium by microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, and fungi or to humus, water, and CO 2 by marine water. Different standardization and certification bodies have set the standards for bioplastics, compostable, and biodegradable plastics to evaluate the environmental constraints of bioplastics. These standards support various industries in creating bioplastics. Thus, it is important to harness the regulatory power to bring all the standardization and certification bodies (both at the national and international levels) together in setting standards with a high threshold to classify bio-based plastics, biodegradable plastics, and compostable plastics.

A self-rotating solar evaporator is developed to overcome the challenge of salt accumulation during continuous solar desalination.

This study focuses on the conversion of biosolids to biochar and its further use in adsorbing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from contaminated water.

Summary 1. The effect of mechanical and natural mixing of water on phytoplankton community assemblages was compared in one reservoir with a destratification unit operating during the wet summer months (North Pine Reservoir) with two adjacent reservoirs without artificial mixing (Wivenhoe and Somerset Reservoirs) over 6 years in subtropical Australia. 2. All three reservoirs were dominated by cyanobacteria, with the same three genera representing 75–80% of the abundance, i.e. Aphanocapsa/Merismopedia/Cyanodictyon group, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Wołoszyńska) Seenayya et Subba Raju and Planktolyngbya. Associations between the dominant genera were consistent across all three reservoirs although there were reduced seasonal differences in abundance in North Pine Reservoir compared with the other reservoirs. 3. Peaks in abundance of the solitary filamentous species C. raciborskii and Planktolyngbya occurred earlier and the densities of the colonial species Aphanocapsa/Merismopedia/Cyanodictyon were lower in the reservoir where the destratification unit was switched on in spring compared with the naturally mixed reservoirs, possibly reflecting the differential effect of artificial mixing on colonial versus solitary filamentous species. 4. Phosphate concentrations were positively correlated with algal densities in the two naturally mixed reservoirs but not the artificially mixed reservoir where phosphate concentrations at the surface were near the limit of detection (0.06 μm P). Artificial mixing may, therefore, promote the growth of species able to utilise and store low concentrations of phosphate, such as C. raciborskii.

Adventure therapy offers a prevention, early intervention, and treatment modality for people with behavioural, psychological, and psychosocial issues. It can appeal to youth-at-risk who are often less responsive to traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. This study evaluated Wilderness Adventure Therapy (WAT) outcomes based on participants' pre-program, post-program, and follow-up responses to self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 36 adolescent out-patients with mixed mental health issues who completed a 10-week, manualised WAT intervention. The overall short-term standardised mean effect size was small, positive, and statistically significant (0.26), with moderate, statistically significant improvements in psychological resilience and social self-esteem. Total short-term effects were within age-based adventure therapy meta-analytic benchmark 90% confidence intervals, except for the change in suicidality which was lower than the comparable benchmark. The short-term changes were retained at the three-month follow-up, except for family functioning (significant reduction) and suicidality (significant improvement). For participants in clinical ranges pre-program, there was a large, statistically significant reduction in depressive symptomology, and large to very large, statistically significant improvements in behavioural and emotional functioning. These changes were retained at the three-month follow-up. These findings indicate that WAT is as effective as traditional psychotherapy techniques for clinically symptomatic people. Future research utilising a comparison or wait-list control group, multiple sources of data, and a larger sample, could help to qualify and extend these findings.

This review summarizes recent advances and presents an overview of design strategies in interfacial-heating solar-thermal desalination devices.

Although two-dimensional (2D) materials have grown into an extended family that accommodates hundreds of members and have demonstrated promising advantages in many fields, their practical applications are still hindered by the lack of scalable high-yield production of monolayer products. Here, we show that scalable production of monolayer nanosheets can be achieved by a facile ball-milling exfoliation method with the assistance of viscous polyethyleneimine (PEI) liquid. As a demonstration, graphite is effectively exfoliated into graphene nanosheets, achieving a high monolayer percentage of 97.9% at a yield of 78.3%. The universality of this technique is also proven by successfully exfoliating other types of representative layered materials with different structures, such as carbon nitride, covalent organic framework, zeolitic imidazolate framework and hexagonal boron nitride. This scalable exfoliation technique for monolayer nanosheets could catalyze the synthesis and industrialization of 2D nanosheet materials.

Although the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emergency status is easing, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect healthcare systems globally. It is crucial to have a reliable and population-wide prediction tool for estimating COVID-19-induced hospital admissions. We evaluated the feasibility of using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to predict COVID-19-induced weekly new hospitalizations in 159 counties across 45 states in the United States of America (USA), covering a population of nearly 100 million. Using county-level weekly wastewater surveillance data (over 20 months), WBE-based models were established through the random forest algorithm. WBE-based models accurately predicted the county-level weekly new admissions, allowing a preparation window of 1-4 weeks. In real applications, periodically updated WBE-based models showed good accuracy and transferability, with mean absolute error within 4-6 patients/100k population for upcoming weekly new hospitalization numbers. Our study demonstrated the potential of using WBE as an effective method to provide early warnings for healthcare systems.

Petroleum hydrocarbons represent one of the most common soil contaminants, whose presence poses a significant risk to soil biota and human health; for example, in Europe, hydrocarbon contamination accounts for more than 30% of contaminated sites. The use of biochar as a proposed alternative to the conventional remediation of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons has gained credence in recent times because of its cost-effectiveness and environmentally friendly nature. Biochar is a carbonaceous material produced by heating biomass in an oxygen-limited environment at high temperature. This review provides an overview of the application of biochar to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, with emphasis on the possibility of biochar functioning as a biostimulation agent. The properties of biochar were also examined. Furthermore, the mechanism, ecotoxicological impact and possible factors affecting biochar-based remediation are discussed. The review concludes by examining the drawbacks of biochar use in the remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and how to mitigate them. Biochar impacts soil microbes, which may result in the promotion of the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil. Linear regression between bacterial population and degradation efficiency showed that R2 was higher (0.50) and significant in treatment amended with biochar or both biochar and nutrient/fertiliser (p < 0.01), compared to treatment with nutrient/fertiliser only or no amendment (R2 = 0.11). This suggest that one of the key impacts of biochar is enhancing microbial biomass and thus the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Biochar represents a promising biostimulation agent for the remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. However, there remains key questions to be answered.

Abstract The Philip and DeVries theory and the “isothermal” theory were used to predict diurnal soil water fluxes near the soil surface. The predicted values were compared with those obtained by measurements of soil‐water content, soil temperature, and evaporation. Previously measured soil‐water diffusivities were used in the theoretical calculations. The thermal vapor diffusivities were calculated using both the “simple” and the “complete” theory of Philip and DeVries. Comparison of measured and calculated fluxes indicated that the theory of Philip and DeVries predicts the measured values better at intermediate water contents, but the “isothermal” theory predicts values better at high and very low water contents.

The deterioration of concrete sewer structures due to bio-corrosion presents critical and escalating challenges from structural, economic and environmental perspectives. Despite decades of research, this issue remains inadequately addressed, resulting in billions of dollars in maintenance costs and a shortened service life for sewer infrastructure worldwide. This challenge is exacerbated by the absence of standardized test methods and universally accepted mitigation strategies, leaving industries and stakeholders confronting an increasingly pressing problem. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive review of the complex mechanisms of bio-corrosion, focusing on the formation and accumulation of hydrogen sulfide, its conversion into sulfuric acid and the subsequent deterioration of concrete materials. The paper also explores various factors affecting bio-corrosion rates, including environmental conditions, concrete properties and wastewater characteristics. The paper further highlights existing corrosion test strategies, such as chemical tests, in-situ tests and microbial simulations tests along with their general analytical parameters. The conversion of hydrogen sulfide into sulfuric acid is a primary cause of concrete decay and its progression is influenced by environmental conditions, inherent concrete characteristics, and the composition of wastewater. Through illustrative case studies, the paper assesses the practical implications and efficacy of prevailing mitigation techniques. Coating materials provide a protective barrier against corrosive agents among the discussed techniques, while optimised concrete mix designs enhance the inherent resistance and durability of the concrete matrix. Finally, this review also outlines the future prospects and challenges in bio-corrosion research with an aim to promote the creation of more resilient and cost-efficient materials for sewer systems.

Abstract Biomass is the most versatile feedstock for renewable energy and chemical production. Biochemical techniques such as fermentation and biomethanation have been developed extensively for converting biomass into bioethanol, biogas, and high‐value platform chemicals. However, the techno‐economic feasibility of the various biochemical techniques for the production of a range of biofuels and chemicals has not been fully consolidated in a review. This paper reviews the techno‐economic studies of biochemical conversion of biomass in a comparative fashion between feedstocks, treatment methods, and product types. The review starts with an overview of various biomass treatment approaches and the need for pre‐treatment for processing second‐generation feedstocks. This is followed by a review of the main biochemical conversion processes, offering insights into process stages, product yields and quality, as well as commercialization prospects and challenges. The various techno‐economic aspects of biomass conversion via biochemical techniques, such as conversion efficiency, production capacity, minimum selling price, capital cost, unit production cost, and profitability metrics, are critically reviewed. It was found that bioethanol and biogas are the most commercially viable products from the biochemical processing of biomass. The production of other biofuels and chemicals such as biobutanol, biohydrogen, furfural, volatile fatty acids, succinate, levulinic acid, and sugar alcohols via biochemical techniques is still largely limited by low conversion, frail microbial strains, cost of enzymes, and separation, and refining challenges. Overcoming these technical bottlenecks, and addressing the issues of feedstock price and supply security, are crucial for enhancing the overall techno‐economic attractiveness of biochemical processes for fuels and chemical production from biomass resources. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optimization of the microalgae culture conditions could significantly reduce the production costs of microalgae-derived biodiesel. In the current study, a new process of adding different forms using the multiple small-dose method was employed. The effects of different forms of nitrogen (NaNO3, NH4Cl, and CH4N2O) and their concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg L−1) on the growth and lipid production of Scenedesmus obliquus were studied. Algae density and lipid production increased with increasing nitrogen concentration for all different forms of nitrogen except NH4Cl. The Scenedesmus obliquus growth was promoted by adding NaNO3 and CH4N2O, but was inhibited by adding NH4Cl. Adding 2 mg N L−1 of CH4N2O daily yielded the highest cell density (1.7 × 107 cells mL−1) and lipid production (242.4 mg L−1). These conditions can thus maintain the biomass of Scenedesmus obliquus, increase its lipid accumulation, and decrease the costs of biodiesel production.

Many studies have identified the potential of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems to simultaneously augment potable water supply and reduce delivery of uncontrolled stormwater flows to downstream drainage networks. Potentially, such systems could also play a role in the controlled delivery of water to urban streams in ways which mimic baseflows. The performance of RWH systems to achieve these three objectives could be enhanced using Real-Time Control (RTC) technology to receive rainfall forecasts and initiate pre-storm release in real time, although few studies have explored such potential. We used continuous simulation to model the ability of a range of allotment-scale RWH systems to simultaneously deliver: (i) water supply; (ii) stormwater retention; and (iii) baseflow restoration. We compared the performance of RWH systems with RTC technology to conventional RWH systems and also systems designed with a passive baseflow release, rather than the active (RTC) configuration. We found that RWH systems employing RTC technology were generally superior in simultaneously achieving water supply, stormwater retention and baseflow restoration benefits compared with the other types of system tested. The active operation provided by RTC allows the system to perform optimally across a wider range of climatic conditions, but needs to be carefully designed. We conclude that the active release mechanism employing RTC technology exhibits great promise; its ability to provide centralised control and failure detection also opens the possibility of delivering a more reliable rainwater harvesting system, which can be readily adapted to varying climate over both the short and long term.

Transformation of soil Pb to pyromorphites and phosphates has the potential to be an effective strategy to immobilize this contaminant in situ. Soil treatment using monocalcium phosphate, a commercial fertilizer (NTS Soft Rock) and biochars prepared from poultry litter and from biosolids at three different temperatures (300, 400, and 500°C) and two doses (1 and 3%) were evaluated. Lead bioaccesibility, mobility, and solid speciation were measured. Leachable Pb (determined with the toxicity characterized leaching procedure) was not significantly ( > 0.05) changed after biochar addition, but a significant decrease in bioaccesible Pb was found for several treatments ( < 0.05). This was particularly notable for treatments receiving biosolids prepared at 400 and at 500°C or monocalcium phosphate at the 3% dose. The decrease in bioaccesible Pb concentration in the biochar treatments was similar to traditional phosphate amendments. Our research found transformation of Pb species to the more stable pyromorphite and Pb-phosphate to be partially responsible for the observed changes, although other mechanisms, including pH changes, might also play an important role. Overall, pyrolysis was an effective method to upgrade waste streams and facilitate Pb immobilization, although key pyrolysis parameters need to be selected carefully.