title: Behaviour of trace organics and dissolved organic matter in granular activated carbon filters for drinking water supply

authors: Bernstein, Daniel Richard

subjects: Water Treatment

abstract: Granular and biological activated carbon (GAC and BAC) filters are widely used to remove organic compounds from drinking water sources during municipal drinking water treatment. Common uses of GAC filters include removal of taste and odour (T&O) causing compounds such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol and reducing the concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) which contributes to the formation of disinfection by-products. GAC filters were installed at the Hamilton Drinking Water Treatment Station (HDWTS) in 2006 to address T&O issues and provide protection against cyanobacterial bloom events, and their effectiveness after such a long operational period was unknown. This study aimed to determine whether bacteria had colonised the GAC surface, compare full-scale GAC filters of different ages in their effectiveness in removing T&O compounds and different fractions of the DOM pool, and assess whether bacterially colonised GAC was able to remove high concentrations of T&O compounds during simulated, transient events after being subjected to steady state influent conditions. Results indicated that bacteria colonise the GAC surface quickly, and that T&O compounds and the humic fraction of the DOM are effectively removed. However, the extent to which humic substances were removed appeared to diminish relatively quickly as filters aged, and the protein fraction of the DOM appeared to be resistant to treatment across the entire treatment train.

text: Behaviour of trace organics and dissolved organic matter in granular activated carbon filters for drinking water supply Granular and biological activated carbon (GAC and BAC) filters are widely used to remove organic compounds from drinking water sources during municipal drinking water treatment. Common uses of GAC filters include removal of taste and odour (T&O) causing compounds such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol and reducing the concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) which contributes to the formation of disinfection by-products. GAC filters were installed at the Hamilton Drinking Water Treatment Station (HDWTS) in 2006 to address T&O issues and provide protection against cyanobacterial bloom events, and their effectiveness after such a long operational period was unknown. This study aimed to determine whether bacteria had colonised the GAC surface, compare full-scale GAC filters of different ages in their effectiveness in removing T&O compounds and different fractions of the DOM pool, and assess whether bacterially colonised GAC was able to remove high concentrations of T&O compounds during simulated, transient events after being subjected to steady state influent conditions. Results indicated that bacteria colonise the GAC surface quickly, and that T&O compounds and the humic fraction of the DOM are effectively removed. However, the extent to which humic substances were removed appeared to diminish relatively quickly as filters aged, and the protein fraction of the DOM appeared to be resistant to treatment across the entire treatment train.

year: 2021

title: Gendered Extremism in the Pacific on 4chan: A Mixed-methods Exploration of Australian and New Zealanders’ Concepts of Women, Gender, and Sexual Violence on /Pol/

authors: Phillips, Justin B.

abstract: The association between 4chan and online extremist subcultures has seen increasing academic scrutiny—particularly following the 2019 Christchurch attack by a right-wing terrorist who frequented the anonymous forums. Gender-based extremism features as one (of many) critical subcultures that commands our academic attention, though few studies to date have sought to capture and assess the entire landscape of this phenomenon on 4chan’s most notorious board: /pol/. Drawing on a pre-Christchurch attack dataset extracted from Papasavva et al. (2020), this study investigates how Australians and New Zealanders (ANZ) broadly conceptualize—and debate—women, gender, and sexual violence on 4chan’s /pol/ board. We apply a mixed-methods approach, combining automated machine learning tools alongside expert qualitative analysis. Across nearly 300,000 posts and comments, we show how gender is constructed within this community, and the conjugal order they demand as a result. This order racially and sexually defines gender identities and norms, which are perceived as mechanisms to restore power and dominance to an ethnically and ideologically conforming in-group. Those that violate or disrupt the conjugal order are legitimized as targets of sexual, and gender-based violence. This normalizes far/extreme right gendered constructs across ANZ contexts in support of exclusivist far/extreme right ideological positions.

text: Gendered Extremism in the Pacific on 4chan: A Mixed-methods Exploration of Australian and New Zealanders’ Concepts of Women, Gender, and Sexual Violence on /Pol/ The association between 4chan and online extremist subcultures has seen increasing academic scrutiny—particularly following the 2019 Christchurch attack by a right-wing terrorist who frequented the anonymous forums. Gender-based extremism features as one (of many) critical subcultures that commands our academic attention, though few studies to date have sought to capture and assess the entire landscape of this phenomenon on 4chan’s most notorious board: /pol/. Drawing on a pre-Christchurch attack dataset extracted from Papasavva et al. (2020), this study investigates how Australians and New Zealanders (ANZ) broadly conceptualize—and debate—women, gender, and sexual violence on 4chan’s /pol/ board. We apply a mixed-methods approach, combining automated machine learning tools alongside expert qualitative analysis. Across nearly 300,000 posts and comments, we show how gender is constructed within this community, and the conjugal order they demand as a result. This order racially and sexually defines gender identities and norms, which are perceived as mechanisms to restore power and dominance to an ethnically and ideologically conforming in-group. Those that violate or disrupt the conjugal order are legitimized as targets of sexual, and gender-based violence. This normalizes far/extreme right gendered constructs across ANZ contexts in support of exclusivist far/extreme right ideological positions.

year: 2024-08-09

title: Local volunteers respond to the Rena oil spill in Maketū, New Zealand

authors: Smith, Kelly

subjects: community action

abstract: Following the MV Rena grounding and oil spill in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand in October 2011, the Māori community of Maketū were quick to respond to the arrival of oil on their beaches. They asserted their rangatiratanga by establishing their marae as a base and successfully coordinated a cleanup by more than 450 volunteers, feeding these volunteers every day. We interviewed 11 clean-up leaders and volunteers in Maketū to gather information about how the oil spill affected people in the community and how they ensured the success of their clean-up efforts. Many volunteers returned to help with the clean-up day after day over several weeks. Concepts of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga underpinned the work of the Maketū clean-up organisers. Participants attributed the success of the Maketū clean-up to the speed with which they responded, the support they received from their community and local businesses, and their local knowledge.

text: Local volunteers respond to the Rena oil spill in Maketū, New Zealand Following the MV Rena grounding and oil spill in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand in October 2011, the Māori community of Maketū were quick to respond to the arrival of oil on their beaches. They asserted their rangatiratanga by establishing their marae as a base and successfully coordinated a cleanup by more than 450 volunteers, feeding these volunteers every day. We interviewed 11 clean-up leaders and volunteers in Maketū to gather information about how the oil spill affected people in the community and how they ensured the success of their clean-up efforts. Many volunteers returned to help with the clean-up day after day over several weeks. Concepts of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga underpinned the work of the Maketū clean-up organisers. Participants attributed the success of the Maketū clean-up to the speed with which they responded, the support they received from their community and local businesses, and their local knowledge.

year: 2016