Factors determining the fluctuation of fluoride concentrations in PM10 aerosols in the urbanized coastal area of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia, Poland)

Fluoride concentrations were determined in PM10 samples collected in the urbanized coastal area of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia) in the period between 1 August 2008 and 8 January 2010. F^? concentrations remained within the range of 0.4–36.6 ng?·?m^?3. The economic transformations which have taken place in Poland increasing ecological awareness have had an excellent effect on the levels of fluoride pollution in the air of the studied region. In our measurements, fluoride concentrations increased in wintertime, when air temperature dropped, at low wind speeds (<1 m?·?s^?1) and with low dispersion of pollutants originating from local sources (traffic, industry, domestic heating). At times when wind speed grew to >10 m?·?s^?1, fluorides were related to marine aerosols or else brought from distant sources. Apart from wind speed and air temperature, other significant meteorological parameters which determined the variability of F^? turned out to be air humidity and precipitation volume. Aerosols were washed out effectively, even with small precipitation (h?=?4 mm), and if a dry period lasted for several days, their concentrations grew rapidly to over 30.0 ng?·?m^?3.     

Photodegradation of the organophosphorus insecticide ‘Phorate’

The photolysis of Phorate(I) (0,0‐diethyl S‐ethyl thiomethyl phosphordithioate) has been studied as a thin film on a glass surface and in a solution of methanol‐water (60:40) by ultraviolet light (λ > 290 nm). The rate of disappearance of Phorate in the solution show first order Kinetics with a rate constant of 4.9 × 10^–5 S ^–1. The half‐life of (I) exposed on a glass surface is found to be 5 hours. The structure of the major photoproducts were characterised by ¹H NMR and mass spectroscopy.     

Fate of parathion in soil under sub‐tropical field conditions

Abstract

Persistence, metabolism and binding of ¹⁴C‐parathion in alkaline sandy loam soil under sub‐tropical conditions of Delhi were studied for 545 days. After 3 days of treatment, ¹⁴C‐residues declined to 41% of the amount applied. The dissipation curve was biphasic; an initial rapid phase (up to 7 days) followed by slow dissipation. The half life of dissipation was only 3.36 days for the first phase and 84 days for the slow phase. The overall half life was 64.5 days. The total residues at zero‐time were 10.65 μg/g dry soil and were almost totally extractable. The extracts consisted of parathion, 4‐aminophenol, 4‐nitrophenol and paraoxon. The bound residues gradually increased and accounted for the total residue at the end of one year (0.7 μg/g).     

Post-irrigation impact of domestic sewage effluent on composition of soils,crops and ground water--a case study

Long-term irrigation with sewage water adds large amounts of carbon, major and micro- nutrients to the soil. We compared the spatial distribution of N, P, K and other micronutrients and toxic elements in the top 0.6 m of an alluvial soil along with their associated effects on the composition of crops and ground waters after about three decades of irrigation with domestic sewage effluent as a function of distance from the disposal point. Use of sewage for irrigation in various proportions improved the organic matter to 1.24-1.78% and fertility status of soils especially down to a distance of 1 km along the disposal channel. Build up in total N was up to 2908 kg ha(-1), available P (58 kg ha(-1)), total P (2115 kg ha(-1)), available K (305 kg ha(-1)) and total K (4712 kg ha(-1)) in surface 0.15 m soil. Vertical distribution of these parameters also varied, with most accumulations occurring in surface 0.3 m. Traces of NO3-N (up to 2.8 mg l(-1)), Pb (up to 0.35 mg l(-1)) and Mn (up to 0.23 mg l(-1)) could also be observed in well waters near the disposal point thus indicating initiation of ground water contamination. However, the contents of heavy metals in crops sampled from the area were below the permissible critical levels. Though the study confirms that the domestic sewage can effectively increase water resource for irrigation but there is a need for continuous monitoring of the concentrations of potentially toxic elements in soil, plants and ground water.     

Azadirachta indica leaf powder as an effective biosorbent for dyes: a case study with aqueous Congo Red solutions

In the present work, the leaves of Azadirachta indica (locally known as the Neem tree) in the form of a powder were investigated as a biosorbent of dyes taking aqueous Congo Red solution as a model system. The sorbent was made from mature Neem leaves and was investigated in a batch reactor under variable system parameters such as concentration of the aqueous dye solution, agitation time, adsorbent amount, pH, and temperature. An amount of 0.6 g of the Neem leaf powder (NLP) per litre could remove 52.0-99.0% of the dye from an aqueous solution of concentration 2.87 x 10(-2) mmol l(-1) with the agitation time increasing from 60 to 300 min. The interactions were tested with respect to both pseudo first-order and second-order reaction kinetics; the latter was found to be more suitable. Considerable intra-particle diffusion was found to occur simultaneously. The sorption process was in conformity with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms yielding values of the adsorption coefficients in the following ranges: Freundlich n: 0.12-0.19, Kf: 0.1039-0.2648 L g(-1); Langmuir qm: 41.24-128.26 g kg(-1), b: 443.3-1898.0 l mmol(-1), which supported favourable adsorption. The Langmuir monolayer capacity (qm) was high and the values of the coefficient b indicated the equilibrium, dye + NLP = dye...NLP being shifted overwhelmingly towards adsorption. Thermodynamically, the sorption process was exothermic with an average heat of adsorption of -12.75 kJ mol(-1). The spontaneity of the sorption process was also confirmed by the favourable values of Gibbs energy (mean values: -1.09 to -1.81 kJ mol(-1)) and entropy of adsorption (range: -18.97 to -56.32 J mol(-1)K(-1)). The results point to the effectiveness of the Neem leaf powder as a biosorbent for removing dyes like Congo Red from water.     

Environmental radon studies using solid state nuclear track detectors

The results of radon activity recorded in 70 dwellings of Nurpur area, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India are reported. LR-115 Type 2 films in the bare mode were exposed for four seasons of three months each covering a period of one year for the measurement of indoor radon levels. The calibration constant of 0.020 tracks cm(-2) d(-1) per Bq m(-3) has been used to express radon activity in Bq m(-3). The annual average indoor radon concentrations in 17 different villages of the area are found to vary from 168+/-46 to 429+/-71. Most of the indoor radon values lie in the range of action levels (200-600 Bq m(-3)) recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection.     

Sustainable Farming Practices: Ghanaian Farmers' Perception of Erosion and Their Use of Conservation Measures

/ Major responsibility for conserving forest biodiversity is often assigned to natural resource agencies. Often unknown is the appropriate administrative context for doing so, especially the organizational location for biodiversity programs in state government, suitable levels of financial and professional investment in biodiversity programs, processes useful for coordinating programs located in different administrative settings, and the effectiveness of biodiversity programs, especially conditions associated with programs judged to be very effective. Focusing on forests, a nationwide survey of 156 forestry agency and biodiversity program administrators in all 50 states was undertaken. Effective forest biodiversity programs were those with a long-range plan, administered as a single organizational unit, located in close organizational proximity to a state's forestry agency, actively providing management practice advice to landowners, administrators, and the public, and firm actions taken to ensure coordination with other natural resource programs.     

Ein neuer Biotest mit der HefeSaccharomyces cerevisiae auf aquatische Toxizit?t

Zusammenfassung  Die G?rleistung der HefeSaccharomyces cerevisiae wird als Bioindikator zur Erfassung aquatoxischer Wirkungen genutzt. Dazu wird die CO₂-Produktion der Hefezellen nach einer Vermehrungsphase unter toxischen Einflüssen gemessen. Als Kennwert (EC₂₀) dient die Schadstoffkonzentration, die die G?rung um 20% mindert. Es werden organische Verbindungen (unpolare und polare Narkotika), anorganische Salze (insbesondere von Schwermetallen), Tenside und Pflanzenschutzmittel geprüft. Die Ergebnisse werden, soweit verfügbar, mit den Daten eines Ciliatentestes mitTetrahymena pyriformis verglichen. Es ergab sich eine übereinstimmung von 90% bei vergleichbarer Testempfindlichkeit. Ergebnisse des Hefetests sind damit ?kotoxikologisch aussagef?hig. Der Test ist reproduzierbar, methodisch einfach zu handhaben und bietet eine Alternative für die Abwasserprüfung, da steriles Arbeiten nicht erforderlich ist. Online-First: 15. Juni 2000