Dynamics of Bacterial Abundance,Biomass, Activity,and Community Composition in the Oligotrophic Traunsee and the Traun River (Austria)

The holomictic Traunsee is the deepest and second largest lakein Austria. The special characteristic of this ecosystem isthe fact that local salt and soda industries presumably alterthe lake by the discharge of waste materials. Since thebeginning of the 20th century salt and soda works areannually releasing up to 50,000 tons of solid wastes and up to150,000 tons of chloride into Traunsee. To assess potentialeffects of these anthropogenic impacts on the bacterioplanktonthree sampling sites, influenced as well as not influenced bythe industrial discharge, were chosen for comparison andsampled monthly from November 1997 to October 1998. Bacterialabundance ranged between 0.4 to 3.0 × 10⁶ cells ml^-1 with decreasing numbers along the depth profile. Theproportion of actively respiring bacteria, i.e. INT [2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyltetrazolium chloride]reducing cells, never exceeded 10% of DAPI (4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole) stained cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to examine the seasonal and spatial distribution of dominant phylogenetic groups of thebacterioplankton. Up to 84% of bacteria detected with DAPIcould be detected via FISH applying the universal bacterialprobe EUB338. Percentages of alpha- and beta-Proteobacteriaand members of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium cluster did notexceed 60% of DAPI-stained cells.Beta-Proteobacteriaappeared to be the most abundant group, not only in Traunsee butalso in two reference lakes, Attersee and Hallstättersee. No significant differences in any of the bacterial parameters couldbe detected between the three sampling sites and all measurementswere found in the range reported for oligotrophic lakes. The highdischarge of the Traun River, resulting in a lake water renewaltime of only one year, may diminish possible effects of industrial waste discharge in the pelagic zone.     

Analysis of the recycling system for aluminum cans,focusing on collection,transportation, and the intermediate processing methods

In this article, the systems for the collection and intermediate processing of used beverage cans (UBCs) are compared and analyzed, focusing on the time taken and the cost of processing, the energy consumption, and the emissions of CO₂, SO _x , and NO _x , during the process. We found that cases where the UBCs were crushed in the discharging process gave better results, and how the UBCs were collected was the most important factor. It was more desirable to treat UBCs in one place than in two places. When the transportation distance was longer, the pressed form of UBCs was more convenient. When the transportation distance was short, the original form, the crushed form, and the shredded form of UBCs were all suitable. That is, the contribution of the transportation process to the evaluation was large when the transport distance was long, and the contribution of the treatment process was large when the transport distance was short.     

Estimation of nitrogen flow change in Beijing,China, for the years 1995, 2000, and 2004

Rapid economic growth in China has led to environmental pollution. Recycling nutrients is essential for sustainable agriculture, and it is necessary to estimate the amount of available organic resources in order to achieve this. Using nitrogen as a tracer, we estimated the organic resource flows in 1995, 2000, and 2004 in Beijing. The agricultural nitrogen flow was calculated from the fertilizer, agricultural product, and byproduct flows. The livestock nitrogen flow was calculated from the feed, excretion, and stock flows. The human nitrogen flow was calculated from the food intake, excretion, and food waste flows. The amounts of recyclable organic resources were estimated from these nitrogen flows. The Daxing, Fangshan, Miyun, Shunyi, and Tongzho areas had high nitrogen loads in 2004, as did the outer suburbs, but Beijing proper had an extremely low nitrogen flow and the inner suburbs had low nitrogen flows. The estimated amount of compost that could be produced from domestic organic waste across Beijing was equivalent to 88,100 t of nitrogen. The Beijing area contains 394,100 ha of farmland, so, if the compost was applied at an equivalent of 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare, the equivalent of 48,000 t of nitrogen would be surplus.     

Modeling hydrology and reactive transport in roads: the effect of cracks, the edge, and contaminant properties

The goal of this research was to provide a tool for regulators to evaluate the groundwater contamination from the use of virgin and secondary materials in road construction. A finite element model, HYDRUS2D, was used to evaluate generic scenarios for secondary material use in base layers. Use of generic model results for particular applications was demonstrated through a steel slag example. The hydrology and reactive transport of contaminants were modeled in a two-dimensional cross section of a road. Model simulations showed that in an intact pavement, lateral velocities from the edge towards the centerline may transport contaminants in the base layer. The dominant transport mechanisms are advection closer to the edge and diffusion closer to the centerline. A shoulder joint in the pavement allows 0.03 to 0.45 m(3)/day of infiltration per meter of joint length as a function of the base and subgrade hydrology and the rain intensity. Scenario simulations showed that salts in the base layer of pavements are depleted by 99% in the first 20 years, whereas the metals may not reach the groundwater in 20 years at any significant concentrations if the pavement is built on adsorbing soils.     

Comparison research on waste classification between China and the EU,Japan, and the USA

Waste and waste management have become significant global issues and common challenges that we face. Efficient and effective waste management is an essential part of civilized society. A good waste classification system is the foundation and precondition for efficient waste management. In this paper, in accordance with waste classification principles of systematicness, hierarchy, practical maneuverability and expansibility, waste classification systems in China, the EU, Japan and the USA are reviewed for collection, transportation and treatment sectors. Comparison analysis results show that waste classification methods are diversified and process-oriented classification, substance-oriented and hazardous properties classification principles are widely adopted for waste generation and transportation. For waste treatment process, all the countries and regions adopt similar classification methods based on follow-up treatment process. In general, the EU and Japan all have established their own integrated waste classification system. However, the EU’s macro–micro integration waste classification systems are more suitable for China to learn which process-oriented waste classification is used for declaration and registration at the micro-level and substance-oriented waste classification system for environmental statistics at the macro-level.     

Perchlorate: Sources,uses, and occurrences in the environment

Perchlorate contamination of groundwater and soil continues to be a hot topic in many sectors, including industry, the federal Departments of Defense and Energy, regulators, and the general public. This article presents information on what is currently known regarding perchlorate uses, known and suspected naturally occurring versus anthropogenic perchlorate sources, and past and present manufacturing locations. It provides the reader with a baseline as well as background information to facilitate an understanding of perchlorate in the environment for the ultimate purpose of remediation. The article is based on research conducted by the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council for a forthcoming, more substantial perchlorate overview document scheduled for publication later in 2005. The document will include an overview of the chemical and discussions of remediation techniques and methods of analysis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Transport and survival of viruses in the subsurface—processes,experiments, and simulation models

The remediation of groundwater contaminated with waterborne pathogens, in particular with viruses, is based on their probable or actual ability to be transported from the source of origin to a point of withdrawal while maintaining the capacity to cause infections. The transport is often associated with both the unsaturated and saturated subsurface composed of varying geological settings with commensurate hydrogeological variability. Included among the most important hydrogeological factors that can be used to evaluate viral transport are the flux of moisture in the unsaturated zone, the media through which the particles travel, the length of the flow path, and the time of travel. With respect to the movement and inactivation of viruses in the subsurface, the vadose zone can provide an effective barrier for movement into groundwater and for the protection of downgradient points of withdrawal and use. Models developed to predicate viral transport in soil and groundwater are introduced, including screening models and more sophisticated predictive numerical models. As evidenced by the exponential growth of virus transport research in the literature, as well as a continuing interest in human health, the subject will continue to be one of critical importance to professionals active in the development, treatment, and conveyance of groundwater in the future. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A review on the adsorption of diuron,carbaryl, and alachlor using natural and activated clays

Pesticides are considered predominant organic pollutants because they are widespread in many ecosystems. Pesticide residues can degrade chemically, physically, and biochemically in nature, but, because of their high stability and, in some cases, water solubility, they continue to persist in the environment. Pesticides have been eliminated from contaminated waters using a variety of methods that fall under the categories of biological, chemical, physical, and physicochemical remediation processes from various types of matrices, including water and soil. Due to their excellent qualities as adsorbents and pesticide transporters, the use of natural soil components such as clays, iron oxides, or humic acid has recently attracted growing interest. Clays have several advantages over other adsorbents, including large specific surface areas due to their small particle size, low cost, and widespread availability. Clay minerals have a great capacity for adsorption due to Coulombic forces and, attributable to their large surface area, van der Waals forces. This review describes historical, current, and emerging techniques and materials to remove the pesticides diuron, carbaryl, and alachlor using clays as adsorbents.     

Comparing the Adoption of Contaminated Land Remediation Technologies in the United States,United Kingdom,and China

In many locations across the world, land contamination poses a serious threat to human health and the wider environment. For instance, a report published on April 17, 2014, revealed that China now has 16.1 percent of its land contaminated by various organic and inorganic contaminants, posing a range of challenges from human health risk to food security. The innovation and adoption of suitable remediation technologies is critical for solving land contamination issues. However, little is known about the pattern of remediation technology adoption, as well as its determining factors. This study uses a questionnaire survey in the United States, United Kingdom, and China to examine the spatial variation of remediation technology adoption. It further explores the temporal trend of remediation technology adoption using secondary data from the U.S. Superfund program. The study identified significant differences in remediation technology adoption among these countries, which are attributed to the different environmental, social, economic, and regulatory contexts. It is argued that the full implications of remediation technology adoption to sustainable development should be further studied, and policy instruments should be designed accordingly to promote those remediation technologies that align the best with long‐term sustainability. Technology developers may also use these implications to adjust their research and development priorities. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Assessment of heavy metal distribution and contamination in the sediment of the Ciujung Watershed,Banten Province,Indonesia

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The present study examined the distribution and severity of heavy metal contamination in the sediments of the Ciujung Watershed and its tributaries...     

Critical review on the evolution,properties, and utilization of plasticwastes for construction applications

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Currently, most countries are burdened with the high generation of plastic wastes and the proper disposal of plastic wastes is a major challenge....     

Behavior of As,Cd, Co,Cr, Cu,Pb, Ni,and Zn at the soil/plant interface around an uncontrolled landfill (Casablanca,Morocco)

The present work undertaken in the environmental context aims to study the distribution of heavy metals in plants that grow naturally around uncontrolled landfills. The study's goal was to identify plants that can be used to remediate contaminated soils. For this purpose, 14 plants species and their rhizospheric soil samples were collected and analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc by inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectrometry. The results showed the presence of elevated metal concentrations in soil, many exceeding the regulatory values, and that many species exhibited an ability to accumulate multiple metals in their shoots and roots without sustaining toxicity. This was confirmed by bioconcentration and translocation factors generally higher than 1.     

Generation, storage, collection and transportation of municipal solid waste--a case study in the city of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal

Solid waste management (SWM) services have consistently failed to keep up with the vast amount of solid waste produced in urban areas. There is not currently an efficient system in place for the management, storage, collection, and transportation of solid waste. Kathmandu City, an important urban center of South Asia, is no exception. In Kathmandu Metropolitan City, solid waste generation is predicted to be 1091 m(3)/d (245 tons/day) and 1155 m(3)/d (260 tons/day) for the years 2005 and 2006, respectively. The majority (89%) of households in Kathmandu Metropolitan City are willing to segregate the organic and non-organic portions of their waste. Overall collection efficiency was 94% in 2003. An increase in waste collection occurred due to private sector involvement, the shutdown of the second transfer station near the airport due to local protest, a lack of funding to maintain trucks/equipment, a huge increase in plastic waste, and the willingness of people to separate their waste into separate bins. Despite a substantial increase in total expenditure, no additional investments were made to the existing development plan to introduce a modern disposal system due to insufficient funding. Due to the lack of a proper lining, raw solid waste from the existing dumping site comes in contact with river water directly, causing severe river contamination and deteriorating the quality of the water.     

Development and Application of Critical,Target and Monitoring Loads for the Management of Acid Deposition in Alberta,Canada

The Alberta, Canada acid deposition management framework, based upon the application of critical, target and monitoring loads, is described. This framework is the culmination of four years work by stakeholders brought together within Alberta's Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA). The elements of the framework include scientific aspects of measurement, model estimation, and monitoring of acid deposition, assessment of receptor sensitivity, and management processes to reduce emissions and deposition (should reductions become necessary). All loads are applied to grid cells measuring 1°latitude × 1° longitude, with each cell being categorized as sensitive, moderately sensitive or of low sensitivity on the basis of the sensitivities of the soil and water systems within the cell. Critical loads have been set at 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 keq H⁺ ha^-1 yr^-1 for grid cells that are categorized as sensitive, moderately sensitive, and of low sensitivity, respectively. Target loads, the environmental management objectives, have been set at 0.22, 0.45, and 0.90 keq H⁺ ha^-1 yr^-1, and monitoring loads, a new concept in acid deposition management, have been set at 0.17, 0.35 and 0.70 keq H⁺ ha^-1 yr^-1 for the three sensitivity classes. When model prediction indicates that deposition may be exceeding the monitoring load, deposition monitoring and receptor sensitivity studies are to be initiated to confirm the deposition model prediction, and to ensure that the sensitivity of the recipient systems is understood. In this manner, management actions that occur in the event of a target load exceedance will be based upon receptor sensitivity and deposition data rather than upon model prediction alone. A process for stakeholder involvement in the evaluation of the framework and its application in long-term, long-range management of emissions and deposition is also included within the framework.     

An investigation of the presence of methane and other gases at the Uzundere-Izmir solid waste disposal site, Izmir, Turkey

Izmir is a large metropolitan city with a population of 3,114,860. The city consists of 27 townships, each township has a population of not less than 10,000 inhabitants. The two major solid waste disposal sites are in the townships of Uzundere and Harmandali. The amount of solid waste that is disposed at each of these sites is about 800 and 1800 t/day, respectively. In Uzundere, compost is produced from the organic fraction of urban solid wastes while the residual material is deposited at a disposal site with a remaining capacity of 700,000 m(3) as of 2001. Gas monitoring and measurements were carried out at the disposal site in Uzundere. For this purpose, nine sampling wells were drilled on selected locations. Each well was furnished with perforated metal pipes suitable for gas monitoring and measurements. The following gases were monitored: O(2), CH(4), CO, CO(2), and H(2)S. The most important finding was that the concentrations of CH(4) in the wells ranged from 7 to 57%. Dilution of the CH(4) by O(2) down to the LEL levels (5-15%) is always possible and poses a continuing risk at the site. Furthermore, the levels of O(2) require that access to the site be limited to only authorized personnel.     

Soils, climate change and the OECD

Some concepts of sustainability applied to soils are given in relation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Co-operative Research Programme 'Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems'. The application of these concepts to climate change will be discussed in relation to seven high-profile papers published over the past 12 months. It is argued that multi-disciplinary (including social science) approaches are needed to address the issues. There is also a brief discussion on biomass energy in terms of soil sustainability and climate change.     

Identification, structure elucidation, and synthesis of volatile compounds in the exhaust gas of food factories

Our investigations deal with the identification and synthesis of volatile, odoriferous compounds contained in the exhaust gas of food factories and on the biodegradation of alkylpyrazines. Collection of odour emissions samples was performed with a gas sampler equipped with filter tubes containing the styrene-polymer SuperQ. After elution with solvents of different polarity, the extracts were analysed by GC/MS and chemical microreactions. Proposed structures were verified by comparison of analytical data with those of synthetic reference samples. Major components in the exhaust gas of a fat finishing factory were found to be aliphatic aldehydes, strongly dominated by hexanal. The identification of 1,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclohexene shows that for structural proof of target compounds the use of authentic reference samples is indispensable. In the exhaust gas from a chocolate factory, several carbonyl compounds and alkylated pyrazines could be identified. Biodegradation of the latter starts with hydrogenation at the nucleus.     

Sources,Fate and Distribution of Organic Matter on the Western Adriatic Continental Shelf,Italy

In the framework of the EUROSTRATAFORM projects, a multidisciplinary research was focused on processes that involve transport and deposition of riverine material in the Adriatic Sea. The aim of our contribution was to increase a more complete understanding of organic matter deposition on the Adriatic shelf, also taking into account the role of Apennine rivers beyond the Po influence. In order to characterize origin, fate and variability of sedimentary organic carbon we utilized elemental and stable carbon isotope data in surficial sediments along shallow cross-shelf transects on the western Adriatic shelf.     

Comparison of municipal solid waste management systems in Canada and Ghana: A case study of the cities of London, Ontario, and Kumasi, Ghana

Integrated waste management has been accepted as a sustainable approach to solid waste management in any region. It can be applied in both developed and developing countries. The difference is the approach taken to develop the integrated waste management system. This review looks at the integrated waste management system operating in the city of London, Ontario-Canada and how lessons can be drawn from the system’s development and operation that will help implement a sustainable waste management system in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. The waste management system in London is designed such that all waste generated in the city is handled and disposed of appropriately. The responsibility of each sector handling waste is clearly defined and monitored. All major services are provided and delivered by a combination of public and private sector forces.The sustainability of the waste management in the city of London is attributed to the continuous improvement strategy framework adopted by the city based on the principles of integrated waste management. It is perceived that adopting a strategic framework based on the principles of integrated waste management with a strong political and social will, can transform the current waste management in Kumasi and other cities in developing countries in the bid for finding lasting solutions to the problems that have plagued the waste management system in these cities.