Die nähere Betrachtung der bisher bekannten, durch Aquädukte aus den Wadis gespiesene Wasserversorgung des herodianischen Palast- und Festungswerkes Masada zeigt, dass diese allein der Aufgabe nicht hätte gerecht werden können. Zudem muss schon aus Sicherheitsgründen bei einer Belagerung eine weitere, vom Belagerer nicht störbare Wasserversorgung bestanden haben. <BR/> Eine zusätzliche Wassergewinnung konnte nur mittels Taubrunnen erfolgen. Die Funktionsweise von Taubrunnen wird dargelegt und die bisher auf Masada entdeckten Taubrunnen beschrieben. Nur durch den Betrieb von solchen Wasserspendern war eine genügende Wasserversorgung für Masada gewährleistet. <BR/> Durch erneute Inbetriebnahme von Taubrunnen wäre es möglich, das 7 ha umfassende Hochplateau wieder fruchtbar zu gestalten. Damit käme ein während 2000 Jahren geheimgehaltenes System der Wassergewinnung für Masada wieder in Funktion.

Auf dem Wäschereisektor besteht zurzeit eine deutliche Tendenz zur Erstellung neuer Grosswäschereien unter Einsatz von Durchlaufautomaten. Die vorliegenden Projekte und die bereits erstellten Anlagen sind auch mit Bezug auf die Produktion ähnlich konzipiert. Es lassen sich daher gemeinsame Kriterien aufstellen. In Ergänzung zu den nachstehend aufgeführten produktionstechnischen Merkmalen werden anschliessend die bisher bekannten Angaben über die Abwasserfrachten und den Wasser- und Waschmittelverbrauch zusammengestellt und mit den Ergebnissen aus früheren Untersuchungen an Wäschereiabwässern und den Betriebsdaten anderer Anlagetypen verglichen.

Lake Brienz is a deep, longitudinal sedimentation-trough with two main tributaries on both ends of the basin. 205 surface samples of the entirely clastic lake sediments have been investigated. Distribution of heavy minerals, sand- and carbonate-content show the exclusive influence of the main rivers - Aare and Lütschine - on hte formation of the surface sediments. Turbitidy currents as well as undercurrents are responsible for transport and deposition of sediments in lake.

The study of vertical mixing in Lake Tahoe by temperature and oxygen measurements is limited to the top layer of the lake, since vertical gradients are extremely small at greater depth. Below 200 m the temperature gradient is about -1.6 ✕ 10^-4 °C m^-1, with little or no seasonal variation. A tritium profile was taken at a midlake station in 1973 together with samples for measurements on lake chemistry. Oxygen, nitrate, total inorganic carbon, and pH showed the effects of photosynthetic activity to a depth of about 80 m, well below the thermocline; average planktonic composition was calculated from these data. Silicate and carbonate alkalinity profiles were essentially uniform, showing that biological removal is negligible in comparison to the rate of vertical mixing.<br/> Essentially no variation in tritium concentration with depth was observed. Tritium measurements and input estimates in Crater Lake were used to calculate tritium concentration in Lake Tahoe between 1954 and 1973 and to estimate a ratio in tritium input of 32% precipitation to 68% vapor exchange. The tritium profile gives strong evidence for at least occasional complete mixing of Lake Tahoe. The last complete mixing may have occurred in March 1973 and at least one other such event took place between 1964 and 1968.

An attempt is made to interpret some aspects of the chemistry of manganese in natural waters on the basis of 1) the kinetics of O₂-oxidation of Mn (II) under sterile conditions and in the presence of Mn (II) oxidizing microorganisms; 2) the nature of oxidized Mn-phases; 3) the adsorption of metal ions on oxide hydroxides of Mn (III), (IV); and 4) information on the transformation of manganese in Swiss lakes.

Effects on inland waters of the discharge of chemicals responsible for eutrophication and organic pollution by degradable and refractory compounds are reviewed. The high ecological sensitivity of aquatic systems to chemical changes is substantiated. The predominant problem of the release of a large number of organic chemicals with very slow or even unproven degradability is indicated. Components of a diversified policy to control the escape of harmful chemicals into the environment are discussed.

The amphoteric properties of hydrous γ-Al₂O₃ and the distribution of earth alkaline cations in the oxide-electrolyte interface was evaluated from alkalimetric and acidimetric titration curves of aqueous dispersions. In NaCl electrolytes (25°C), pH of zero point of charge is pH_zpc = 8.5; acid-base properties can be characterized in terms of a heterogeneous two-protic acid with intrinsic acidity constants p<I>K</I>_int¹ = 7.9 and p<I>K</I>_int² = 9.1.<br/> The extent of adsorption of Ca²⁺ and other earth alkaline cations on hydrous γ-Al₂O₃ increases with increasing pH; finite adsorption is observed at pH_zpc and at pH values slightly lower than pH_zpc. Evaluation of adsorption measurements and alkalimetric titration curves indicates that the adsorption of M²⁺ can be described by: AlOH + M²⁺ ⇄ AlOM⁺ + H⁺. Operational association constants for this equilibrium were determined; the extent of adsorption increases in the series Mg²⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Sr²⁺ > Ba²⁺. In the pH-range above pH_zpc, these ions, upon being adsorbed may reverse the surface charge of the oxide suspension.

The sea-air interface is probably the most poorly understood of the three boundaries separating the system sea-air-land. However, the chemistry of the sea-air interface is receiving increasing attention as its role in environmental problems becomes more apparent. Perhaps in no other region of the environment do microscopic physicochemical and hydrodynamic processes so profoundly affect large-scale geophysical phenomena as they do in the transfer of material from sea to air. The solutions to many problems in air pollution and water pollution as well as a complete assessment of the geochemical cycles of many elements are critically dependent on a better understanding of sea-surface phenomena.