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Dolmabahçe ve Beylerbeyi Saraylarının aydınlatma ve ısınma ihtiyacını karşılamak için kurulan gazhaneler, üretim fazlasını civar semtlerin aydınlatılması için dışarıyla paylaşmışlardır. İstanbul’un havagazı ile aydınlanması böylece başlamış ve sokaklarının umumi aydınlatması ilk olarak havagazı ile mümkün olmuştur. 19. Yüzyılın ortalarında kurulan Dolmabahçe ve Kuzguncuk gazhanelerinin ardından, Yedikule ve Hasanpaşa Gazhaneleri yüzyıl son çeyreğinde hizmete girmiştir. İstanbul’da havagazı kullanımı birçok evreden geçerek bir buçuk asra ulaşan yolculuğunda, abone sayısındaki artış hızı üzerinden en büyük sıçrayışını Hasanpaşa ve Yedikule Gazhanelerinin millileştirildiği 1945 yılı sonrasında gerçekleştirmiş ve 1965’den sonra düşüş eğilimine girmiştir. Çalışma aralığı olarak, havagazı kullanımının yoğun olduğu millileştirme sonrası 1945-1967 yılları arası belirlenmiştir. İşletmenin bu yıllar arası performansı üzerinden, toplumun havagazı tüketimi değerlendirilmiş ve ekonomik olarak gelir-gider dengesi karşılaştırılmıştır. Havagazı işletmesinin kar veya zararı tespit edilerek, nedenlerinin ele alınması hedeflenmektedir. Gashanes, which were established to meet the lighting and heating needs of Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi Palaces, shared their surplus production with the outside to illuminate the surrounding districts. Thus, the lighting of Istanbul with gas started and the public lighting of its streets was first possible with gas. After the Dolmabahçe and Kuzguncuk gasworks established in the middle of the 19th century, Yedikule and Hasanpaşa Gashouses were put into service in the last quarter of the century. The use of gas in Istanbul, in its journey that has passed through many stages and reached a century and a half, experienced the biggest leap over the rate of increase in the number of subscribers after 1945, when Hasanpaşa and Yedikule Gasworks were nationalized, and entered a downward trend after 1965. The working range was determined between 1945- 1967 after the nationalization, in which the use of coal gas was intense. Over the inter-year performance of the enterprise, the gas consumption of the society has been evaluated and the economic income-expenditure balance has been compared. It is aimed to determine the profit or loss of the gas company and to address the reasons.

Former Gasworks are often associated with widespread contaminant source in the subsurface, which produce large plumes that comprise a wide variety of tar-oil related compounds. Whilst most of these compounds undergo degradation naturally, the processes are often slow and inefficient usually taking many decades and often leaving active remediation as the only feasible option to eliminate the risks of toxic substances to reach potential receptors such as ground/surface waters or drinking water wells. In this study we measured and analysed aggregate concentrations of volatile organic compound (VOC) and their individual components at a large town’s Former Gasworks. Measurements were conducted at various boreholes on the site; however, for the purpose of this paper only two boreholes were considered, the one closest to the former retort house (borehole1) and one at some distance from it (borehole 2). The aggregate concentrations of VOCs were obtained using an in-borehole gas monitor called Gasclam whilst a Tenax TA sorbent tube incorporated into and to work in parallel with this instrumentation was used to adsorb bulk concentrations of VOC and subsequently desorbed (for characterisation) using thermal desorption/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD/GC-MS) technique. The result shows VOCs in borehole 1 to exhibit a broader range and have higher average concentrations. The values range from 40 ppm - 230 ppm borehole 1 and 32 ppm - 45 ppm in borehole 2. Whilst the former has average VOC concentration of 166 ppm/hour; the latter has 38 ppm/hour as its average over the monitoring period. Among the identified VOCs are those considered to be hazardous to health such as toluene, chlorobenzene, xylene, ethylbenzene and isopropylbenzene.

Established in 1822 to process the coal tar and ammoniacal liquor residues of the Edinburgh gasworks, the Bonnington Chemical Works was an early and unusual facility in an era when coal gas residue...

Pričujoče besedilo obravnava razvoj glavnega mesta slovenske Štajerske v približno petih desetletjih pred koncem prve svetovne vojne. Maribor je v obravnavanem časovnem obdobju napredoval v številnih ozirih. Poleg tega, da je njegovo prebivalstvo zelo naraslo, so v njem nastajale vedno nove institucije, monumentalne stavbe, industrijski obrati ter vedno boljše železniške povezave. Predvsem segajo v omenjeno časovno obdobje začetki uporabe električne energije in plina, kar v prispevku tudi zavzema osrednje mesto. Pri nastanku mariborske plinarne je vodilno vlogo sicer igrala potreba po ureditvi in modernizaciji mestne razsvetljave. Medtem je elektrika pot v mesto našla predvsem po zaslugi velikih in premožnih industrialcev (predvsem Karla Scherbauma, Ludwiga Franza ter Franza Negerja). Slednji so jo prav tako uporabljali za razsvetljavo obratov, ali pa za optimalnejše obratovanje svojih proizvodnih enot.

Standard groundwater investigation methods are generally based on regionalised concentration point measurements. To overcome this limitation, an integral investigation approach was applied at a former urban gasworks contaminated with BTEX and PAH compounds. Mass fluxes were quantified at two control planes situated 140 m and 280 m downstream from the contaminant source. Compound specific mass fluxes were measured and effective natural attenuation rates ranging from 4.7E-07 s−1 to 1.6E-06 s−1 were estimated for the target compounds, based on their specific mass flux changes between the control planes.

August Colding was one of the three pioneers, who in the mid-1800s almost simultaneously and independently formulated the first law of thermodynamics, the two others being Robert Mayer and James Joule. This first, significant achievement was followed by a sequence of other ground-breaking discoveries within a broad range of disciplines: magnetism, steam power, gas production, hydraulics, soil physics, hydrology, heating and ventilation, meteorology and oceanography. Moreover, he gave a significant contribution to the understanding of the spread of cholera. In hydrology, he used evaporation experiments to obtain water balances. Independently, he formulated Darcy's law, and, as the first one, he calculated the water table between drainpipes and the piezometric surface in confined aquifers. His main occupation, however, was chief engineer in Copenhagen, where he modernised the city by introducing groundwater-based water supply and building a waterworks delivering pressured, clean water into the houses, a gasworks and gas-based street lightening, and a citywide sewage system. Colding has not been recognised internationally as he might deserve, probably because most of his publications were written in Danish. Even in Denmark, he seems today almost forgotten. This paper highlights his most important scientific contributions, in particular his achievements in hydrology, hydraulics, meteorology and oceanography.

The current research builds on the findings of a systematic literature review by the authors which recommends the need to work towards a standardised method for measuring the in vitro dermal absorption of HMW-PAH in soils. One part of the method is understanding the partitioning of the high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAH) from soil to sebum found in skin. In vitro HMW-PAH soil-sebum partition coefficients (KSS) were measured for twelve soils collected from former UK gasworks. Concentrations of ∑16 USEPA PAH in the soils ranged from 51 to 1440 mg/kg, benzo[a]pyrene ranged from 3.2 to 132 mg/kg. Time series extractions (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h) at skin temperature (32°C) of HMW-PAH from sebum to soil for two samples were conducted to determine the maximum release time-step. The maximum HMW-PAH release time-step was determined as 4 h, which was subsequently used as the extraction time for the remaining samples. Evaluation of KSS data for the 4 h extractions showed that soil type and selected HMW-PAH properties (literature based molecular weight and octanol-carbon partition coefficients) affect the amount of HMW-PAH released from soil into sebum. Characterisation of soil properties was limited to total organic carbon, which showed no relationship to KSS. Selected soils showed distinctly higher K¬SS than others. The relationship between MW and KSS was statistically significant while the relationship between KOC and KSS was not statistically significant. Further research effort is required to improve our understanding of which soil and HMW-PAH properties affect the release of HMW-PAH from soil into sebum and the reasons why.

This article examines the history of Riga’s first gas factory as both a contributor to, and witness of, the Industrial Revolution in Riga. The factory became an important urban landmark in the rapidly growing city due to its sophisticated architecture as well as its central placement in the most picturesque recreational area of the city, namely, in the surroundings of the city canal greenery. This article aims to examine how the knowledge transfer is embodied in Riga’s first municipal gasworks, its transnationally developed planning phase, and its locally outstanding buildings, which gained significance by becoming a symbol of both technological and social progress in Riga.

This article examines developments in the gas sector in Madrid between 1917 and 1922, when the gas factory was under the control of the City Council. The article discusses the reasons why the Council decided to cancel the gas supply contract and take over the gasworks, owned by the Gas Lighting and Heating Company of Madrid. Changes in the management of the business, alongside the problems faced by the Council owing to the dramatic increase in labour costs and the escalating difficulties in obtaining coal supplies, are thoroughly analysed. The article also explores the lawsuits between the Gas Company and the City Council, and the latter’s subsequent attempts to get rid of the business. Este artículo analiza la evolución de la actividad gasista en Madrid entre 1917 y 1922, años en los que la fábrica de gas estuvo controlada por el Ayuntamiento. Se analizan los motivos que llevaron al Ayuntamiento madrileño a rescindir el contrato de suministro de gas e incautarse de la fábrica de gas, propiedad de la Compañía Madrileña de Alumbrado y Calefacción por Gas. Igualmente se examinan los cambios en la gestión del negocio, y los problemas que enfrentó el Consistorio como consecuencia del aumento de los costes laborales y de las dificultades en el suministro de carbón. Finalmente, se estudian los pleitos entre la Compañía del Gas y el Ayuntamiento y las opciones planteadas por éste para desprenderse del negocio.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, the British engineer William Richards made an important contribution to the introduction of the gas industry in Catalonia, Spain. Following his development of the dry gas meter, but failure to create a commercial business from it, Richards sought to re-establish his reputation away from the crowded British Gas industry to go in search of new horizons abroad. In 1848, he became the engineer at the Gasworks in Barcelona. Between the years of 1851 and 1859, Richards directed the construction of several gasworks in Catalonia. This paper examines the significance of Richards’s achievements, both in England and Spain during the period from 1843 to 1893. Whilst sometimes unrecognised in his country of origin, this paper demonstrates that he was an active innovator, gas engineer and an early exponent of international technology transfer in the gas manufacturing industry.

Historical contamination of sediments from industries that commenced before environmental regulations were commonplace is prevalent in many large cities. This contamination is frequently overlain and mixed with more recent urban contamination. The remediation of contaminated sites is often a very expensive exercise and the final remediation criteria often reflect a trade-off between protecting human and ecological health and the finances of those deemed responsible for the site clean-up. In this study, we describe an assessment of estuarine sediments impacted historically by contamination from a gasworks site. The major historical sediment contaminants included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other petroleum-related hydrocarbons (TRHs). Elevated concentrations of metals exist throughout the city region due to historical pollution and ongoing urban stormwater discharges. Equilibrium partitioning models were used to consider the influence on the bioavailability of PAHs of both natural sedimentary organic carbon and forms of black carbon (pyrogenic carbon - coal tars, charcoal). The strongest predictor of the observed sublethal toxicity to amphipod and copepod reproduction was a combination of total PAHs and metals (primarily Cu, Pb and Zn). Total PAHs was the strongest predicting variable for toxicity to organism survival. While high total PAH concentrations were attributed to the former gas works, high background concentrations of metals existed throughout much of this region of the estuary. Thus, without remediation at the estuary-scale, resuspension of the surrounding sediments by tidal currents and boat movements is predicted to re-contaminate remediated areas with sediments that may continue to cause chronic toxicity due to metals. The assessment indicated that remedial actions that remove or isolate sediments that caused toxicity to benthic organism survival would lead to significant improvements in ecosystem health, but toxicity to organism reproduction may remain at similar levels that exist throughout much of this region of the estuary due to high metal concentrations.

This work aimed at the comprehensive analysis of total microbial communities inhabiting a typical hydrocarbon-polluted site, where chemical characteristics of the groundwater were readily available. To achieve this, a joint metagenomic characterization of bacteria and viruses surrounding a contaminant plume was performed over a one-year period. The results presented demonstrated that both potential hydrocarbon degraders and their bacteriophages were dominant around the plume, and that the viral and bacterial diversities found at the site were probably influenced by the pH of the groundwater. Niche-specific and dispersed associations between phages and bacteria were identified. The niche phage-host associations were found at the edge of the site and at the core of the plume where pH was the highest (9.52). The identified host populations included several classes of bacteria (e.g. Clostridia and Proteobacteria). Thirty-six viral generalists were also discovered, with BGW-G9 having the broadest host range across 23 taxa, including Pseudomonas, Polycyclovorans, Methylocaldum and Candidatus Magnetobacterium species. The phages with broad host ranges are presumed to have significant effects on prokaryotic production and horizontal gene transfer, and therefore impact the biodegradation processes conducted by various bacteria of the environment studied. This study for the first time characterized the phages and their bacterial hosts associated with a contaminant plume.

CRM (Certified Reference Material) BAM-U116/CGL306 “Cyanide in soil” was produced within a framework of cooperation between CGL (Central Geological Laboratory) of Mongolia and Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) of Germany in 2013-2017. The CRM BAM-U116/CGL306 represents a mixture of a sandy soil collected from a contaminated former gasworks area in the Berlin region (Germany) and an unpolluted sandy soil from Nalaikh region (Mongolia). The bulk candidate material for this reference material was prepared at CGL CRM Laboratory exclusively destined to the preparation of reference materials and equipped with modern technical equipment. Homogeneity, stability and shelf life were studied in full compliance with ISO Guide 35. The CRM was evaluated as sufficiently homogeneous. Statistical evaluation of certification analysis was software packages SoftCRM and ProLab Plus. Certified value of total cyanide of the CRM is 12.0 mg/kg and expanded uncertainty was assigned as 0.8 mg/kg. The intended purpose of this material is the verification of analytical results obtained for the mass fraction of total cyanide in soils and soil-like materials applying the standardized procedure ISO 11262:2011. As any reference material, it can also be used for routine performance checks (quality control charts) or validation studies.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent contaminants that accumulate in soil, sludge and on vegetation and are produced through activities such as coal burning, wood combustion and in the use of transport vehicles. Naturally occurring surfactants have been known to enhance PAH-removal from soil by improving PAH solubilization thereby increasing PAH-microbe interactions. The aim of this research was to determine if a biosurfactant derived from the leaves of the Australian red ash (Alphitonia excelsa) would enhance bioremediation of a heavily PAH-contaminated soil and to determine how the microbial community was affected. Results of GC-MS analysis show that the extracted biosurfactant was significantly more efficient than the control in regards to the degradation of total 16 US EPA priority PAHs (78.7% degradation compared to 62.0%) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) (92.9% degradation compared to 44.3%). Furthermore the quantification of bacterial genes by qPCR analysis showed that there was an increase in the number of gene copies associated with Gram positive PAH-degrading bacteria. The results suggest a commercial potential for the use of the Australian red ash tree as a source of biosurfactant for use in the accelerated degradation of hydrocarbons.

This research investigates the effect of nine physical treatment types comprising a serial combination of three drying (air, freeze and oven) and two comminution (milling and sieving) methods on the quantification of PAH in a soil sample from a former gasworks. Results show that treatment type has a significant effect on PAH concentration ( p ⩽ 0.05). Naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene concentrations were significantly higher for air drying and freeze drying treatments than for oven drying. It is suggested that naphthalene and similarly volatile PAH losses were greater for oven drying due to the application of fanned warm air which is thought to cause volatilisation. Analytical precision was significantly improved for milled samples compared with sieved samples. The reason milling results in greater precision is assigned to the improved solvent extraction efficiency when natural grain size is altered due to crushing. The analytical data were compared to residential generic assessment criteria (GAC) used for risk-based land management. It was shown that the naphthalene GAC was lower than all freeze drying and air drying concentrations but was within the oven drying concentration range, illustrating that a false negative could be concluded during risk evaluation is oven dried data were used. Overall, it is recommended that air drying or freeze drying is a better choice than oven drying if the quantification of low molecular weight PAH forms an important objective of sample characterisation for risk-based land management, otherwise freeze drying and milling is recommended.

In order to know about the variation of PAHs, PCBs and OCPs of sludge in landfill, discover the factors influencing the contents of PAHs, PCBs, OCPs and provide the scientific basis for the agriculture reuse of aged-sludge, the variation of PAHs, PCBs, OCPs contents and influencing factors in sludge landfill were studied in this paper. PAHs concentration of different landfill periods rang from 6.645 to 10.008 mg·kg-1 and show an increasing tendency with the increase of landfill duration. PAHs are mainly composed of more than four benzene-based compounds, and less than three benzene rings compounds contents of PAHs are relatively low. PCBs concentrations rang from 15.655 to 25.569 μg·kg-1 and present a decreasing trend with the landfill time, which far less than the standard of 0.2 mg·kg-1. PCBs at the beginning of the landfill are mainly composed of the 3-Cl and 5-Cl compounds. In the late of the landfill, 2-Cl compounds increase significantly. The range of OCPs concentration is 1.78~2.37 μg·kg-1. The main factors affecting the PAHs, PCBs and OCPs contents are microbial degradation and transformation. Analysis of the pollutants sources indicate that PAHs in sludge are mainly derived from the waste water of refinery, coking plant, gasworks, smelt plant and pitch plant. Chemical industry, timber process and electricity industry are the main sources of PCBs and OCPs in sludge.

The relationship between brownfield landscape design and policy for remediation of contaminants is both an ethical issue and a creative opportunity for designers. Under widely varying policies across Europe and the United States (US), residual contamination, which remains even after required remediation, is pervasive on redeveloped sites. Landscape design that anticipates evolving scientific understanding of contaminant exposure risks and changing policy requirements can strengthen the resilience of brownfield designs. Specifically, the appearance of the landscape can influence exposures to residual contamination by cueing the behavior of humans and other organisms to avoid exposures. We discuss three problems to be considered in the design of appropriate cues: the problem of invisible environmental processes, the problem of false identity stemming from mistaken perceptions, and the problem of design as deceit. Then, we consider three iconic public parks designed in different policy settings: Gasworks Park, Duisburg Nord, and Crissy Field. These designs embody appropriate cues for affecting behavior on redeveloped brownfield sites. Drawing on lessons from these parks, we conclude that the design of brownfield redevelopments can employ landscape appearance as one tool to limit human and ecosystem exposures to residual contaminants.

In the course of industrialization in the 19th century, manufactured gas plant sites were built in almost every larger town in Europe and the United States. Organic and inorganic contaminations pose a continuing threat to groundwater resources at these locations even though the operations were terminated decades ago. The different coal tars and tar oils present in the subsurface are composed of a huge variety of organic compounds often possessing a high toxic potential, such as monocyclic, polycyclic, and heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition to these inorganic contaminants, cyanides and heavy metals can be found due to dumping of by-products and wastes. A multitude of factors influence the fate of these compounds and an increasing number of studies deal with this subject. However, key processes are still not well understood. One example is the mobilization of colloid associated contaminants by extreme single events, which can be responsible for the bulk contaminant load in the seepage water. An...

Former manufactured gas plant sites often form a widespread contaminant source in the subsurface, leading to large plumes that contain a wide variety of tar-oil related compounds. Although most of these compounds eventually degrade naturally, the relevant processes tend to be slow and inefficient, often leaving active remediation as the only viable option to eliminate the risks of toxic substances to reach potential receptors such as surface waters or drinking water wells. In this study we use a reactive transport model to analyse the fate of a contaminant plume containing acenaphthene, methylbenzofurans and dimethylbenzofurans (i) prior to the installation of an active remediation scheme and (ii) for an enhanced remediation experiment during which O(2) and H(2)O(2) were added to the contaminated groundwater through a recirculation well. The numerical model developed for this study considers the primary contaminant degradation reactions (i.e., microbially mediated redox reactions) as well as secondary and competing mineral precipitation/dissolution reactions that affect the site's hydrochemistry and/or contaminant fate. The model was calibrated using a variety of constraints to test the uncertainty on model predictions resulting from the undocumented presence of reductants such as pyrite. The results highlight the important role of reactive transport modelling for the development of a comprehensive process understanding.

Naphthalene and benzene are ubiquitously found at former gasworks sites. In order to demonstrate that monitored natural attenuation (MNA) is an alternative strategy for remediation of groundwater at the investigated site, biodegradation was characterized by: (1) reduction of contaminants; (2) correlation of contaminants concentration changes with geochemical parameters; (3) enumeration of anaerobic microorganisms and correlation with geochemical data; (4) laboratory assays with site-specific enrichment cultures and naphthalene as the sole carbon source and electron donor; (5) modeling plume extension of naphthalene along the centerline and (6) carbon stable isotope (CSIA) analysis. The study demonstrated that naphthalene attenuation mainly depends on high sorption on aquifer material. In contrast, benzene is predominantly attenuated by biodegradation.

Gasometers, also called gas holders, were large tanks for storing coal gas and maintaining pressure in distribution lines. In Great Britain, gas holders were common features of the industrial landscape before natural gas became the primary source of fuel for powering streetlights and heating homes. They were often constructed at the sites of gasworks, which manufactured coal gas by carbonizing coal. Although many gas holders are still standing, most are no longer in use. Some gas holders were enclosed in steel cages called guide frames, as seen inGasometers, amonotype print by the British architect and printmaker Cyril E. Power (1872-1951). In this image, the gas holder is the red cylinder in the lower right corner. Gas holders were designed so that the upperpart of the tanknested in the lowerpart andexpandedvertically to accommodate increases in pressure. The height of theguide frames in thispicture indicates themaximumheight of expansion. Power, whose first career was architecture

Much of the industrial archaeology in Britain relating to the coal gas industry is slowly disappearing because of the desirability of the sites in which they are placed for redevelopment. A recent survey of the surviving buildings at Granton Gasworks on the Firth of Forth in Edinburgh by AOC Archaeology Group aims to supplement the current record of this disappearing heritage.

SecondSite Property (now National Grid Property), commissioned Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd. (PB) to project manage a trial of a slurry phase bioreactor at a former gasworks in the Northwest of England. The trial was designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of slurry phase bioremediation at remediat-ing coal tar contaminated soils at the field scale, through the CL:AIRE (Contaminated Land: Applica-tions in Real Environments) technology demonstration programme. Slurry phase bioremediation is one of the most intensive forms of biological treatment available for the degradation of organic com-pounds. Three trials were completed, though technical difficulties were encountered throughout the project, due to inefficient mixing within the reactor. The results of the second trial, however, showed significant contaminant degradation, especially with respect to PAHs. Low molecular weight PAHs were degraded by up to 95% and high molecular weight PAHs such as benzo(a)pyrene were also degraded by 68%. Trials 1 and 3 recorded similar pa tterns of degradation, but not to the same extent as Trial 2. Microbial analysis of the trials showed that although some microorganisms predominated, the population was not stable, and a wide range of unidentified potentially unique organisms were detected. These results indicate that slurry phase bioremediation can be utilized to treat compounds associated with gasworks normally reca lcitrant to biodegradation in a relatively short timeframe. With process improvements in mixing and robustness, a viable cost-effective system could be developed to operate in a commercially viable manner.Key words: benzo(a)pyrene, bioreactor, bioremediation, coal tar, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, remediation, slurry-phase

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals were measured in road debris collecting in urban areas and in the suspended sediment (SS) component of runoff from two stormwater catchments in Dunedin, New Zealand. Levels in the road debris ranged from 119-527 microg/g for lead, 50-464 microg/g for copper, 241-1 325 microg/g for zinc and 1.20-11.6 microg/g for sigma16PAH. The SS from the largely rural catchment (20% urban) had similar concentrations to the road debris, indicating that this urban material was the main source of the contaminants measured in the stormwater. Similar PAH fingerprint profiles and isomer ratios indicative of dominant pyrogenic (combustion) sources were also found in these two groups of materials. The SS from the 100% urban catchment contained 2- to 6-fold higher concentrations of metals and 10-fold greater levels of sigma16PAH. The higher levels of lead and copper were probably a result of industrial land uses in this catchment, while the additional zinc was linked to an abundance of zinc-galvanised roofing iron in the catchment's residential suburbs. The PAH profiles and isomer ratios were different for this urban catchment and suggested that a disused gasworks was contributing PAHs to the stormwater runoff.

The goals of this study were to investigate the relative degradation rates of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in contaminated soil, and to assess whether persistent oxidation products are formed during their degradation. Samples were taken on five occasions during a pilot-scale bioslurry treatment of soil from a former gasworks site. More than 100 PACs were identified in the soil, including unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylated PAHs (alkyl-PAHs), heterocyclic PACs, and oxygenated PAHs (oxy-PAHs), such as ketones, quinones, and coumarins. During the treatment, the low molecular weight PAHs and heterocyclics were degraded faster than the high molecular weight compounds. The unsubstituted PAHs also appear to have degraded more quickly than the corresponding alkyl-PAHs and nitrogen-containing heterocyclics. No new oxidation products that were not present in the untreated soil were identified after the soil treatment. However, oxy-PAHs that were present in the untreated soil were generally degraded more slowly than the parent compounds, suggesting that they were formed during the treatment or that they are more persistent. Two oxidation products, 1-acenaphthenone and 4-oxapyrene-5-one, were found at significantly higher concentrations at the end of the study. Because oxy-PAHs can be acutely toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic, we suggest that this group of compounds should also be monitored during the treatment of PAH-contaminated soil.

In this article the focus is on the gender implications of the early Dutch welfare state and the status of male and female breadwinners and their dependents in social insurance and poor relief in the Netherlands around 1900. Barbara Nelson’s model of two gendered channels (workmen’s compensation acts versus mothers’ aid laws) in early U.S. social policy serves as a point of reference. The author concludes that, compared to the United States, social policy in the Netherlands did not start as extremely gendered. The assumption of Dutch second-wave feminists that the Dutch welfare state was male breadwinner–minded from the very beginning does not hold water.

There are many contaminated soil sites in Australia. Contamination may be from human activities (eg, smelters, industrial waste dumps, old gasworks) or from naturally occurring sources (eg, surface mineralisation). Concentrations of contaminants may vary markedly across a site. Their distribution may be localised or quite extensive. Common contaminants include lead, arsenic, cadmium, petrol and diesel products, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. People living on or near a contaminated site will often be concerned about potential effects on their health. Assessing their exposure potential and/or measuring levels of biological markers often allays concerns, but occasionally confirms them (eg, elevated blood lead levels and subtle cognitive effects have been found in some people living near the Port Pirie lead smelter).

The contemporary world faces a toxic legacy: environmental contamination caused by past industrial activities. In Britain, a large proportion of the soil and groundwater pollution that occurred during the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century came from gasworks and coke plants. Paradoxically, many people long viewed them as the answer to the country's pollution problems. Smoke-abatement activists and industry officials argued that gas and coke could be burned without producing the large quantities of particulates and volatile organic compounds that emanated from coal fires. Yet promoters of these 'smokeless fuels' failed to recognise that they did not eliminate environmental problems, but instead shifted them from sites of consumption to those of production. Air pollution declined in many places, but it grew worse in those containing gasworks and coke plants. In addition to displacing pollution geographically, the manufacture of gas and coke displaced it chronologically by creating hazards that would long endure. Today, decades after they ceased production, many of the places where gasworks and coke plants once stood remain contaminated by toxic by-products.

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been determined in sediments, mussels and crustacea in the vicinity of a former gasworks site by Shoreham Harbour, UK. Very high concentrations of PAH were found in the substrate, an ash-like material deposited on the former gasworks site, which exhibited a profile consistent with the major source of contamination being coal or coke tar produced during the period of gas production at the site. Elevated PAH concentrations were also found in mussels both from the beach below the former gasworks site, and from sites further to the east in Portslade and Hove. The significance of these concentrations were assessed using an approach which involved the calculation of benzo[a]pyrene equivalent concentrations (BaPEs), summing concentrations of individual PAH on the basis of their comparative potency as carcinogens. BaPE ranged from values of, or close to, zero for crustacea, to 336 μg kg−1 wet weight in mussels from Southwick Beach. The contaminated mussels are not exploited commercially but may be taken by casual gatherers, and notices have been posted to warn potential consumers.

Fish and shellfish are exposed to a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) following oil spills at sea, and can become contaminated as a result. Finfish have a more effective mixed-function oxidase enzyme system than shellfish, and are therefore able to metabolise and excrete PAH more effectively than the invertebrates. Thus, contamination by high-molecular weight PAH, including those with carcinogenic potential and so of concern with regard to human consumers, is therefore usually observed in shellfish, and particularly in bivalve molluscs. Oil spills are not the sole source of PAH, however, as parent compounds are also generated by a wide range of combustion processes. In this paper, consideration is given to monitoring data gathered following recent oil spills (both of crude oil and diesel fuel), alongside data from other studies. These include studies conducted around a former gasworks site and downstream of an aluminium smelter in the UK, and from mussel monitoring studies undertaken in the UK and the USA (including the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the National Status and Trends programme), and in other countries in Europe. For comparative purposes the PAH concentrations are summed and also expressed as benzo[a]pyrene equivalents, their relative concentrations being weighted in relation to the carcinogenic potential of individual PAH compounds using toxic equivalency factors (TEF). Our aim was to assess the utility of this approach in fishery resource monitoring and control following oil spills. Certainly this approach seems useful from the data assessed in this study, and the relative ranking of the various studies seems to reflect the relative degree of concern for human consumers due to the differing contamination sources. As a simple tool for control purposes it is equally applicable to PAH derived from oil spills, and from industrial and combustion sources.

With the increasing use of natural gas to generate electricity, installed natural gas fired microturbines are found in residential areas to generate electricity locally. This paper discusses the methodology of assessing optimal capacity and locations for installing natural gas fired microturbines in distribution residential network. The IEEE 123 Node Test Feeder was selected as the test bed. Three phase unbalanced electric power flow was run in OpenDSS through COM server, and the gas distribution network was analyzed using GASWorkS. The continual sensitivity analysis methodology was proposed to select multiple DG locations and annual simulation was run to minimize annual average losses. Nodal pressures of the gas system were checked for various cases to investigate if existing gas distribution network can accommodate the penetration of selected microturbines. The results indicate the optimal locations suitable to place microturbines and capacity that can be accommodated by the system.

The aim of the SOLEX study was to estimate the personal exposure of workers to atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on former gasworks sites in the Paris metropolitan area. Devices to sample gas and particulate phases for 9 PAHs were carried during one working day of a study week in November 1997 by 24 workers and in June 1998 by 19 workers with contrasted job profiles involving different opportunities for contact with the soil; among these volunteers, some were active in the process of contaminated soil remediation during the November study period. PAH concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Subjects working on the site under remediation were clearly more exposed (684.1 ng/m3 for total PAHs in November 1997) than workers, without close contact with soil, whose PAH exposure was similar to that measured by fixed monitors in the ambient air in Paris. The contrasts were weaker in June 1998, when soil remediation had nearly been completed. Only subjects involved in activities with close contact with the ground were found with exposures exceeding background levels. Further investigations are needed to improve our understanding of the influence of the pollutants present in the soil.

OBJECTIVES—To gather enough data from a large scale investigation involving two health authorities, to assess the possible concentrations and routes of exposure and the consequent health implications.To use the data to decide whether a polluted beach should remain open to the public. In Spring 1997, a chemical incident came to light at a beach on the south coast of England when a local resident reported a sulphurous smell, visible signs of oil, and reduced numbers of fishing bait. The beach was situated adjacent to a former gasworks site and was accessible to the public. The incident was reported to the local authority and was initially investigated by the Environment Agency and the local authority. An Environment Agency report confirmed contamination of the beach with cyanide, ammonia, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with associated potential health risks. The incident was then referred to the local health authorities for investigation. METHODS—The investigation was carried out in four stages: comprehensive sampling and analysis to identify the extent of contamination, followed by an assessment of risk to health; establishment of a long term monitoring programme to identify any changes in contaminant concentrations; investigation of the effects of the contamination on shellfish; and review of the routine monitoring data and current sampling strategy. RESULTS—The initial investigation confirmed that the beach was contaminated, with the most likely source being the adjacent former gasworks site. The level of contamination was not found to be likely to pose a hazard to users of the beach. However, subsequent investigation of shellfish in the area led to warning signs being erected on the beach to prevent human consumption of mussels contaminated with PAHs. CONCLUSIONS—Several lessons can be learnt from this investigation, which can be applied to incident management more generally: the importance of collaboration and coordination; the need for early involvement of the health authority; and the importance of carrying out appropriate sampling and analysis as soon as possible, to assess the risk to health and the environment. Keywords: public health; water pollutants; chemical; hydrocarbons; cyanides

The £21·5 million project to clean up the massive former gasworks site on the Greenwich peninsula was one of the most extensive and integrated ground contamination remediation exercises ever carried out in the UK. It included removing a 7 Ml litre tar well at the site of the Millennium Dome, washing 30 000 m3 of soil, treating 66 000 m3 of contaminated groundwater and effluent and recycling 245 000 m3 natural and engineering materials for backfill. This paper describes the various engineering and environmental techniques that were used in both the statutory clean-up operation and the subsequent remediation required for redevelopment

Development of North Sea gas led to a rundown of the massive gasworks which occupied the greater part of the 300 acre Greenwich peninsula in east London. Initial regeneration proposals were constrained by poor transport connections—but then along came the new Jubilee Line extension. Regeneration plans then blossomed based on an integrated transport network of pedestrian and cyclist routes, rail, Underground and bus services, and improved links to the A102(M) cross-river road. It was too good an opportunity for the promoters of the Millennium Dome to miss, which in turn led to accelerated investment in transport infrastructure and provision of the perfect springboard for future regeneration.

Cyanide is extremely toxic to both human and aquatic life and exists as a contaminant in soils and groundwater at decommissioned gasworks sites due to past industrial practices. This included the processing and disposal of gas purification wastes which contained cyanide. The biodegradability of cyanide at gasworks sites in south‐eastern Australia is investigated to determine the viability of in situ bioremediation. Two study sites show cyanide concentrations in groundwater of up to 5,300mg/L CN (total) in the vicinty of these sites. Laboratory experiments using column microcosms indicate both aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation of cyanide in water. Rates of degradation are typically first order with degradation microbiologically driven and are not simple oxidation‐reduction reactions. The rate of degradation is variable, depending on the existence of microbes, concentration and temperature. Even though both sites have cyanide contamination, only one requires remediation. In situ bioremediation is possible at this site thus providing an acceptable outcome to both site owner and the environment.

Creosote contamination of groundwater in the vicinity of old gasworks and woodtreatment facilities is a well‐known problem. Risk assessments typically include measurements of mono‐ and poly‐aromatic compounds and phenols. The content of nitrogen‐, sulphur‐ and oxygen‐containing heteroaromatic compounds (NSO) and their degradation products is seldom determined, although they often are strong smelling, toxic, and have high solubilities and hence constitute a potential for ground‐water contamination. This paper reviews state of the knowledge regarding the analysis of NSO and their degradation products, and their occurrence and fate in groundwater under various redox conditions to assess their potential as groundwater contaminants at creosote‐contaminated sites.

British Gas has a major programme of contaminated land remediation, reclaiming the sites of many former gasworks for other beneficial uses. On behalf of its customers and shareholders, the company must ensure that its approach to remediation is as cost-effective as possible, while meeting all environmental obligations. The development of two disured sites presented the opportunity to examine the cost benefit of remediation, both in terms of the level of site investigation needed to minimise unforeseen costs in the subsequent remediation phase, and to compare the relative costs of alternative remediation techniques. The case studies demonstrated a substantial cost benefit of an extensive site investigation prior to remediation works, while a comparative analysis of remediation techniques concluded that landfill was the least expensive, compared with bioremediation and soils washing. However, with the addition of the landfill tax, the costs of alternatives to landfill disposal become more comparable. As more experience is gained of the new techniques, costs should fall, helping to encourage a wider choice of cost-effective remediation approaches in the UK.

A strategy for ensuring that measurements of ten common contaminants found in soils from former gasworks are of optimum quality over long timescales is described. In particular, the performance of laboratories in applying validated measurement methods in both small- and large-scale inter-laboratory trials over a 5-year period is assessed. It is shown that a production engineering concept, the experience curve, has a significant influence on the quality of some of the measurements made and that this concept can be used to model the performance of laboratories. Complexity of the measurement procedure and familiarity of analysts with the measurement operations are suggested as the main drivers of method error. The implications of the achievable quality of measurement on the costs of land re-development and on confidence in the quality of the rejuvenated land are discussed.

Graft-De Rijp is a former village of whalers, situated twenty-five kilometres north of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Since the foundation of De Rijp in 1612 a mixture of sludge, manure and town refuse (containing Pb-based household artefacts and Pb-based building materials) was used to raise and fertilise the land. Gasworks, coal storehouses, printing works and tanneries were started in the industrial area (after 1860). Surface soils in the "old" town centre of De Rijp are highly contaminated with Pb and, to a lesser extent, with Zn, Cu and As. Stable Pb isotopes combined with statistical analysis of the chemical dataset provided a tool whereby the sources of contaminant Pb, and related heavy metals were identified. Three major sources of Pb contamination could be distinguished: (1) remnants of the "old" town (building materials such as Pb sheets, glazed roof tiles and paint), (2) coal ashes and (3) alkyl-leaded petrol. In addition, high Zn, Cu and As are strongly related to Pb pollution, which is predominantly found in the topsoil (0-0.5 m) of the "old" town centre of Graft-De Rijp.

The impoundment of the Taft and Ely rivers by Cardiff Bay Barrage will cause a groundwater level rise of varying amounts within South Cardiff, including the Grangetown Gasworks site. Concern regarding the contamination risk to groundwaters and surface water at and in the vicinity of the gasworks site, resulting from a change in groundwater levels due to the barrage impoundment, resulted in the need for further site investigation to provide more precise information for hydrogeological analysis. This paper outlines the site investigation and groundwater studies undertaken, identifies the existing pollution and contamination hazards at the site and evaluates the subsequent risk resulting from an increase in groundwater levels.