Physicochemical methods for monitoring seasonal variations in Cl–, F–, and Fe++ in underground water in Unnao District in Uttar Pradesh (India)

The variations of Cl^???, F^???, and Fe^?+?+? in the underground water during pre- and post-monsoon periods for 2003 have been examined, for two places in Unnao district, by argentrometric titration method (Sodic Land Reclamation Project Uttar Pradesh 1998) and atomic absorption spectrometry (Sodic Land Reclamation Project Uttar Pradesh 1998). The concentration of these ions falls outside the limits prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO 1984).     

Trends in benthic macroinvertebrate community biomass and energy budgets in Lake Sevan, 1928–2004

Water levels of Lake Sevan (Armenia) were artificially lowered by nearly 20?m between 1949 and 1997. Lowered water levels, combined with increased eutrophication, were associated with seasonally anoxic conditions (lasting 1-4?months) near the bottom of the profundal zone each year during 1976-2004. In addition, the extents of the macrophyte zone and of certain substrate types were severely reduced following drawdown. Maximal depth of occurrence decreased by 2-44?m for at least for 50 species of benthic macroinvertebrates between 1982 and 2004 compared to 1937-1961. Species richness of benthic macroinvertebrates declined from 25 to three species at depths where seasonal anoxia occurred. Total biomass increased by a factor of 10 from the period 1928-1948 to 1976-1979 then declined by a factor of 3 to 4 between 1987 and 2004. Energy flow through detritivores was more than tripled during 1976-2004 compared to 1928-1971, a result of increased plankton primary production. In contrast, energy flow through herbivorous benthic macroinvertebrates decreased by a factor of nearly 5, due to reduced areal coverage of macrophytes. Energy flow through filter feeders did not change over the time period examined, but energy flow through the entire zoobenthos community was nearly tripled. The biomasses of Oligochaeta, Chironomidae, and total zoobenthos showed a delayed response to changes in primary production of 7-9, 2, and 2-4?years, respectively. These patterns may provide a basis to predict results of restoration efforts based on the abundance of the zoobenthos in future years as the level of the lake is restored and water quality improves.     

A New Mathematical Approach in Environmental and Life Sciences: Gene–Environment Networks and Their Dynamics

An important research area in life sciences is devoted to modeling, prediction, and dynamics of gene-expression patterns. As clearly understood in these days, this enterprise cannot become satisfactory without acknowledging the role of the environment. To a representation of past, present, and most likely future states, we also encounter measurement errors and uncertainties. This paper surveys and improves recent advances in understanding the foundations and interdisciplinary implications of the newly introduced gene–environment networks, and it integrates the important theme of carbon dioxide emission reduction into the networks and dynamics. We also introduce some operational and managerial issues of practical working and decision making, expressed in terms of sliding windows, quadrants (modules) of parametric effects, and navigating (controlling) between such effects and directing them. Given data from DNA microarray experiments and environmental records, we extract nonlinear ordinary differential equations that contain parameters that have to be determined. For this, we employ modern (Chebychevian) approximation and (generalized semi-infinite) optimization. After this is provided, time- discretized dynamical systems are studied. A combinatorial algorithm with polyhedra sequences allows to detect the region of parametric stability. Finally, we analyze the topological landscape of gene–environment networks with its structural (in)stability. By embedding as a module and investigating CO₂ emission control and figuring out game theoretical aspects, we conclude. This pioneering work is theoretically elaborated, practically devoted to health care, medicine, education, living conditions, and environmental protection, and it invites the readers to future research.      

Volatile organic compounds in air at urban and industrial areas in the Tarragona region by thermal desorption and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Annual trends of a group of 66 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), containing 20 ozone precursors, were the aim of a sampling campaign carried out for a year in air at urban and industrial areas from Tarragona region. VOCs were determined by active collection on multisorbent tubes, followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The analytical method was developed and validated, showing good levels of detection and quantification, recoveries, precision, and linearity for all the compounds in the range being studied. All the industrial and urban samples taken during the sampling campaign were similar in their qualitative composition. The most abundant compound in all urban and industrial sites was i-pentane, with concentrations between 15.2 and 202.1 μg m^???3 in urban sites and between 1.3 and 98.6 μg m^???3 in industrial sites. In urban sites, the following compounds in order of abundance were toluene, n-pentane, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene, with maximum levels of 150.6, 45.8, 42.3, and 31.7 μg m^???3, respectively. In industrial sites, the most abundant compounds depended on the sampled site.     

Radiocaesium Activity Concentrations in Wheat Grains in the Republic of Croatia for 1965–2003 and Dose Assessment

Results of systematic, long-term measurements of ¹³⁷Cs activities in wheat for the period 1965–2003 are summarized. Radiocaesum fallout activities affect wheat activity concentrations, the coefficient of correlation being 0.91. In the observed period, the highest activity of ¹³⁷Cs deposited by fallout, 6321 Bq m⁻², was recorded in 1986, i.e., in the year of Chernobyl accident, causing peak ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in wheat of 38.0 ± 13.0 Bq kg⁻¹. After the Chernobyl nuclear accident the ¹³⁴Cs:¹³⁷Cs activity ratio in wheat was ≈0.5, and did not differ from the value found in other environmental samples. The transfer coefficient from ¹³⁷Cs fallout deposition to wheat was calculated to be 8.6 × 10⁻³ Bq y kg⁻¹ per Bq m⁻², indicating the low transfer of radiocaesium from fallout to wheat. The upper limit for the collective effective dose for the Croatian population due to ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs ingestion by wheat and wheat products consumption for period 1965–2003 was estimated to be 665 person-Sv, the upper limit for the annual collective effective dose in 2003 being only about 0.061 person-Sv.     

GC–ECD analysis of S-metolachlor (Dual Gold) in cotton plant and soil in trial field

The analytical method of S-metolachlor residue and its degradation in cotton and soil in trial field were investigated. S-metolachlor EC (96% w/w) was applied as pre-emergence at dosages of 1,500 and 2,250 ml ha(-1) 3 days after sowing of the cottonseeds in the field. The soil and the plant samples were collected at different intervals and the residues of S-metolachlor were analyzed by GC-ECD. The results showed that the degradation of S-metolachlor in cotton leaves in Beijing and Nanjing coincides with C = 0.1113e(-0.1050t) and C = 0.1177e(-0.1580t), respectively; the half-lives were about 6.6 and 4.4 days. The degradation of S-metolachlor in soil in Beijing and Nanjing coincides with C = 1.0621e(-0.0475) (t), and C = 0.9212e(-0.0548) (t), respectively; the half-lives were about 14.6 and 12.6 days,. At harvest time, the S-metolachlor in cotton seeds and soil samples were detected by GC-ECD and confirmed by GC/MS. The results showed that the residues in cottonseeds were lower than the USA EPA's maximum residue limit of 0.1 mg kg(-1) in cottonseed. It could be considered as safe to human beings and environment.     

Surface ozone and meteorological condition in a single year at an urban site in central–eastern China

Surface ozone and some meteorological parameters were continuously measured from June 2003 to May 2004 at urban Jinan, China. The levels and variations of surface ozone were studied and the influences of meteorological parameters on ozone were analyzed. Annual and diurnal ozone variation patterns in Jinan both show a typical pattern for polluted urban areas. Daytime ozone concentrations in summer were the highest in the four seasons. However, during nighttime from 2100 to 0600 hours ozone concentrations in spring was higher than that in summer. Daily averaged ozone showed negative correlation with pressure and relative humidity and positive correlation with temperature, total solar radiation, sunshine duration and wind speed during the study period. Further studies show that, solar radiation is a primary influence factor for the daytime variations of ozone concentrations at this site; transport of pollutants by wind could enhance the pollution at this site; precipitation has a significant influence on decreasing surface ozone. A multi-day ozone episode from 16 to 21 June 2003 was observed at this site. Surface meteorological data analysis and backward trajectory computation show that the episode is associated with the influence of typhoon Soudelor, attributing to both local photochemical processes and transport of air pollutants from southeastern coastal region, especially Yangtze River Delta region.     

Metals Associated with Suspended Sediments in Lakes Erie and Ontario, 2000–2002

Sediment traps were deployed in the three major basins of Lake Erie, and the central (Mississauga) basin of Lake Ontario, and refurbished seasonally over the period 2000–2002. In Lake Ontario, sediment down-flux rates and corresponding contaminant down-flux rates were highest in winter during periods of unstratified thermal conditions, and generally increased with depth due to the influence of resuspended bottom sediments during all sampling periods. Lake Ontario suspended sediments exhibited the highest concentrations of metals; concentrations of mercury and lead frequently exceeded guideline values for bottom sediments. Contaminant levels in Lake Ontario suspended sediments were similar to concentrations in bottom sediments in the same area. There was a spatial trend toward higher suspended sediment metals concentrations from the eastern basin to the western basin of Lake Erie, which is similar to the trend in bottom sediment contamination. In the eastern basin of Lake Erie, which is the deepest area of the lake, there was no trend in down-flux rate with depth in 2001; however, down-flux rates increased with depth in 2002. Suspended sediments in the western basin of Lake Erie were determined to be largely resuspended bottom sediments; all western basin samples collected in the study exceeded the guideline value for mercury (0.486 μg/g).     

Determination of ametryn in sugarcane and ametryn–atrazine herbicide formulations using spectrophotometric method

A sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for determination of ametryn in agricultural samples. The proposed method was based on reaction with pyridine and further coupling with sulfanilic acid to form a colored product. The absorbance was measured at 400 nm with a molar absorptivity of 2.1 × 10⁵ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹. The method shows a linear range from 0.2–20 μg mL⁻¹ with limit of detection and limit of quantification 0.16 and 0.54 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of ametryn in sugarcane juice and commercial formulations after separation of ametryn from triazine herbicides based on solvent extraction. Recovery values were found to be in the range of 96.0 ± 0.2% to 98.4 ± 0.1%.     

Pesticide occurrence and aquatic benchmark exceedances in urban surface waters and sediments in three urban areas of California, USA, 2008–2011

Urban pesticide use has a direct impact on surface water quality. To determine the extent of pesticide contamination, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation initiated a multi-area urban monitoring program in 2008. Water and sediment samples were collected at sites unaffected by agricultural inputs in three areas: Sacramento (SAC), San Francisco Bay (SFB), and Orange County (OC). Samples were analyzed for up to 64 pesticides or degradates. Multiple detections were common; 50 % of the water samples contained five or more pesticides. Statewide, the most frequently detected insecticides in water were bifenthrin, imidacloprid, fipronil, fipronil sulfone, fipronil desulfinyl, carbaryl, and malathion. Bifenthrin was the most common contaminant in sediment samples. Key differences by area: OC had more pesticides detected than SAC or SFB with higher concentrations of fipronil, whereas SAC had higher concentrations of bifenthrin. The most frequently detected herbicides were 2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, diuron, and pendimethalin. Key differences by area: OC and SFB had higher concentrations of triclopyr, whereas SAC had higher concentrations of 2,4-D and dicamba. Detection frequency, number of pesticides per sample, and pesticide concentration increased during rainstorm events. In water samples, all of the bifenthrin, malathion, fipronil, permethrin, and λ-cyhalothrin detections, and most of the fipronil sulfone and cyfluthrin detections were above their lowest US EPA aquatic benchmark. Diuron was the only herbicide that was detected above its lowest benchmark. Based on the number of pesticides and exceedances of aquatic benchmarks or the high number of sediment toxicity units, pesticides are abundant in California surface waters.     

Spatial Patterns and Rankings of Contaminant Concentrations in Herring Gull Eggs from 15 Sites in the Great Lakes and Connecting Channels, 1998–2002

Mean values of eight contaminants in Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) eggs were calculated for 15 Great Lakes sites for the 5 year period 1998–2002. The sites were ranked according to the concentrations of each of seven compounds relative to fish flesh criteria for the protection of piscivorous wildlife, and a single overall rank of contamination was calculated for each site. Based on this weighted ranking scheme, we found that sum PCBs, dioxin and DDE contributed the most (60.2, 30.5% and 8.5%, respectively) to the overall rankings. The weighted ranking scheme showed that eggs from Channel-Shelter Island (Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron), Strachan Island (St. Lawrence River) and Gull Island (northern Lake Michigan) ranked as the three most contaminated sites, while Agawa Rocks (eastern Lake Superior), Chantry Island (southern Lake Huron) and Port Colborne (eastern Lake Erie) ranked as the three least contaminated sites. Two of the three most contaminated sites are Areas of Concern; none of the three least contaminated sites are Areas of Concern.     

Diurnal, seasonal and weekdays–weekends variations of ground level ozone concentrations in an urban area in greater Cairo

Ground level ozone (O3) concentration was monitored during the period of December 2004 to November 2005 in an urban area in Greater Cairo (Haram, Giza). During the winter and summer seasons, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide(NO) concentrations and meteorological parameters were also measured. The mean values of O3 were 43.89, 65.30, 91.30 and 58.10 ppb in daytime and 29.69, 47.80, 64.00 and 42.70 ppb in whole day (daily) during the winter, spring, summer and autumn seasons, respectively. The diurnal cycles of O3 concentrations during the four seasons revealed a uni-modal peak in the mid-day time, with highest O3 levels in summer due to the local photochemical production. The diurnal variations in NO and NO2 concentrations during the winter and summer showed two daily peaks linked to traffic density. The highest levels of NOx were found in winter. Nearly, 75%, 100%, 34.78% and 52.63% of the mean daytime concentrations of O3 during spring,summer, autumn and the whole year, respectively, exceeded the Egyptian and European Union air quality standards (60 ppb) for daytime (8-h) O3 concentration. About, 41.14% and 10.39% of the daytime hours concentrations and 14.93% and 3.77% of the daily hour concentrations in summer and the whole year, respectively, exceeded the Egyptian standard (100 ppb) for maximum hourly O3 concentration, and photochemical smog is formed in the study area (Haram) during a periods represented by the same percentages. This was based on the fact that photochemical smog usually occurs when O3 concentration exceeds 100 ppb. The concentrations of O3 precursors (NO and NO2) in weekends were lower than those found in weekdays, whereas the O3 levels during the weekends were high compared with weekdays. This finding phenomenon is known as the "weekend effect". Significant positive correlation coefficients were found between O3 and temperature in both seasons and between O3 and relative humidity in summer season, indicating that high temperature and high relative humidity besides the intense solar radiation (in summer) are responsible for the formation of high O3 concentrations.     

Monitoring of copper level in water and soil samples by using liquid–liquid extraction

A new, simple, sensitive, and selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of copper in water and soil samples has been demonstrated. The method is based on the reaction of Cu(I) with neocuproine (2,9-dimethyl-1, 10-phenanothroline) and extracted with N-phenyl benzimidoylthiourea in chloroform. The value of molar absorptivity of the complex in the term of Cu(I) is 1.45 × 10⁵ L mol^???1 cm^???1 at λ _max 460 nm in chloroform. The detection limit of copper in water and soil is 2 ng mL^???1 and 4 ng g^???1, respectively. The method is free from the interference of the ions commonly found to be associated with the copper determination in water and soil samples. The application of the proposed method has been successfully tested for the determination of copper in different types of water and soil samples.     

Study of personal–indoor–ambient fine particulate matters among school communities in mixed urban–industrial environment in India

A sampling program was conducted to investigate the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at two advanced water treatment plants in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The results in this study can be used as a reference for the operational control of water treatment plants and the setting of regulations in Taiwan. Samples of drinking water were collected from two advanced water treatment plants from June 2007 to April 2008. Changes in the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, the trihalomethane formation potential, and the haloacetic acids formation potential were measured in raw water samples. Variations in the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA₅) in finished drinking water were evaluated. The major species of HAA₅ were in the order of dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid and the THM was of trichloromethane. DOC was strongly related to DBPs in raw water. In this investigation, the removal efficiency of DBPs in Plant A (ultrafiltration/reverse osmosis system) exceeded that in Plant B (ozonation/biological activated carbon system). Both advanced water treatment plants greatly improved the quality of drinking water.     

The occurrence of glyphosate, atrazine, and other pesticides in vernal pools and adjacent streams in Washington, DC, Maryland, Iowa, and Wyoming, 2005–2006

Vernal pools are sensitive environments that provide critical habitat for many species, including amphibians. These small water bodies are not always protected by pesticide label requirements for no-spray buffer zones, and the occurrence of pesticides in them is poorly documented. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of glyphosate, its primary degradation product aminomethylphosphonic acid, and additional pesticides in vernal pools and adjacent flowing waters. Most sampling sites were chosen to be in areas where glyphosate was being used either in production agriculture or for nonindigenous plant control. The four site locations were in otherwise protected areas (e.g., in a National Park). When possible, water samples were collected both before and after glyphosate application in 2005 and 2006. Twenty-eight pesticides or pesticide degradation products were detected in the study, and as many as 11 were identified in individual samples. Atrazine was detected most frequently and concentrations exceeded the freshwater aquatic life standard of 1.8 micrograms per liter (microg/l) in samples from Rands Ditch and Browns Ditch in DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Glyphosate was measured at the highest concentration (328 microg/l) in a sample from Riley Spring Pond in Rock Creek National Park. This concentration exceeded the freshwater aquatic life standard for glyphosate of 65 microg/l. Aminomethylphosphonic acid, triclopyr, and nicosulfuron also were detected at concentrations greater than 3.0 microg/l.     

Using remote sensing and GIS to detect and monitor land use and land cover change in Dhaka Metropolitan of Bangladesh during 1960–2005

This paper illustrates the result of land use/cover change in Dhaka Metropolitan of Bangladesh using topographic maps and multi-temporal remotely sensed data from 1960 to 2005. The Maximum likelihood supervised classification technique was used to extract information from satellite data, and post-classification change detection method was employed to detect and monitor land use/cover change. Derived land use/cover maps were further validated by using high resolution images such as SPOT, IRS, IKONOS and field data. The overall accuracy of land cover change maps, generated from Landsat and IRS-1D data, ranged from 85% to 90%. The analysis indicated that the urban expansion of Dhaka Metropolitan resulted in the considerable reduction of wetlands, cultivated land, vegetation and water bodies. The maps showed that between 1960 and 2005 built-up areas increased approximately 15,924 ha, while agricultural land decreased 7,614 ha, vegetation decreased 2,336 ha, wetland/lowland decreased 6,385 ha, and water bodies decreased about 864 ha. The amount of urban land increased from 11% (in 1960) to 344% in 2005. Similarly, the growth of landfill/bare soils category was about 256% in the same period. Much of the city's rapid growth in population has been accommodated in informal settlements with little attempt being made to limit the risk of environmental impairments. The study quantified the patterns of land use/cover change for the last 45 years for Dhaka Metropolitan that forms valuable resources for urban planners and decision makers to devise sustainable land use and environmental planning.     

Near-surface ozone levels and trends at rural stations in France over the 1995–2003 period

There is a considerable interest in quantifying near-surface ozone concentrations and associated trends, as they serve to define the impacts on ozone of the anthropogenic precursors reductions and to evaluate the effects of emission control strategies. A statistical test has been used to the ozone air concentrations measured in the French rural monitoring network stations, called MERA, in order to bring out spatio-temporal trends in air quality in France over the 1995-2003 period. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test has been developed for detecting and estimating monotonic trends in the time series and applied in our study at annual values: mean, 98th percentile and median based on hourly averaged ozone concentrations and applied to daily maxima. In France, when averaged overall 9 stations between 1995 and 2003, a slight increasing trend of the O(3) levels (+0.6 +/- 1.3% year( - 1)) is observed, which is strongly influenced by the concentrations of the high altitude stations. In stations below 1000 m a mean rate of -0.48% year( - 1) from annual average concentrations, of -0.45% year( - 1) for medians and of +0.56% year( - 1) for P.98 over the 1995-2003 period were obtained. In stations above 1,000 m a mean rate of +1.75% year( - 1) from annual averages values, of +4.05% year( - 1) for medians and of +2.55% year( - 1) for P.98 were calculated over the 1997-2003 period. This situation is comparable to the one observed in other countries. In Europe and in France a reduction of precursor emissions is observed whereas a slight increasing trend of the O(3) levels is observed over the 1995-2003 period. One reason is the non-linearity of chemical ozone production with respect to precursor emissions. Possible explanations are an increase in near-surface ozone values caused by a reduced ozone titration by reduced NO( x ), the meteorological parameters change, an increase in bio-geogenic compound concentrations, the intercontinental transport from North America and Asia and the influence of stratospheric-tropospheric exchanges. These possible explanations must be interpreted carefully as on the short time scales considered.     

Spatial Economic–Hydroecological Modelling and Evaluation of Land Use Impacts in the Vecht Wetlands Area

Wetlands provide many important goods and services to human societies, and generate nonuse values as well. Wetlands are also very sensitive ecosystems that are subject to much stress from human activities. Reducing the stress on wetlands requires a spatial matching between physical planning, hydrological and ecological processes, and economic activities. Spatially integrated modelling and evaluation can support this. The present study has developed a triple layer model that integrates information and concepts from social and natural sciences to address the analysis and evaluation of land-use scenarios for a wetlands area in the Netherlands, the Vecht area. This is the floodplain of river Vecht, located in the centre of the Netherlands. The study has resulted in a set of linked spatial hydrological, ecological and economic models, formulated at the level of grids and polders. The main activities incorporated in the system of models are housing, infrastructure, agriculture, recreation and nature conservation. The formulation of alternative development scenarios is dominated by land use and land cover options that are consistent with the stimulation of agriculture, nature or recreation. Two aggregate performance indicators have been constructed from model output, namely net present value of changes and environmental quality. The spatial characteristics of these indicators are retained in a spatial evaluation that ranks scenarios.