Community Perception of Water Quality in a Mining-Affected Area: A Case Study for the Certej Catchment in the Apuseni Mountains in Romania

Mining-contaminated sites and the affected communities at risk are important issues on the agenda of both researchers and policy makers, particularly in the former communist block countries in Eastern Europe. Integrated analyses and expert based assessments concerning mining affected areas are important in providing solid policy guidelines for environmental and social risk management and mitigation. Based on a survey for 103 households conducted in a former mining site in the Certej Catchment of the Apuseni Mountains, western Romania, this study assesses local communities’ perceptions on the quality of water in their living area. Logistic regression was used to examine peoples’ perception on the quality of the main river water and of the drinking water based on several predictors relating to social and economic conditions. The results from the perception analysis were then compared with the measurements of heavy metal contamination of the main river and drinking water undertaken in the same study area. The findings indicate that perception and measurement results for the water quality in the Certej Catchment are convergent, suggesting an obvious risk that mining activities pose on the surface water. However, the perception on drinking water quality was little predicted by the regression model and does not seem to be so much related to mining as to other explanatory factors, such as special mineralogy of rock and soils or improper water treatment infrastructure, facts suggested by the measurements of the contaminants. Discussion about the implications of these joint findings for risk mitigation policies completes this article.     

Human perceptions of landscape change: The case of a monodominant forest of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Attalea speciosa</Emphasis> Mart ex. Spreng (Northeast Brazil)

From the perception of human populations, we can assess the changes occurring in certain landscapes and the factors that cause those changes. Such studies have proven helpful in increasing the knowledge of the history of a landscape, recognizing past formations and projecting its future. Our research objective was to determine how a landscape dominated by the palm tree Attalea speciosa, a species of ecological, economic, and cultural importance, has been changing over time by synthesizing and comparing historical documents and local perceptions. This study was conducted in Araripe Environmental Protection Area, Northeast Region, Brazil. To understand local landscape change, we interviewed active harvesters in four communities in which A. speciosa use has been documented. Historical documents were evaluated as a complement to the interview data. According to local informants, areas previously used for cultivation and animal husbandry that were abandoned or decimated by droughts in the region may have fostered the expansion of a monodominant A. speciosa forest. Furthermore, other forms of landscape management resulting from human population growth may also have affected the current and past distribution of this forest.     

Improving bioavailability of phosphorous from cattle dung by using phosphatase immobilized on natural clay and nanoclay

The high P retention of acidic Andisols makes necessary to increase our technological approaches in pasture management in the animal system production. Here, we evaluated the clay- or nanoclay-acid phosphatase complexes for improving phosphorus mineralization from degraded cattle dung. We implemented an immobilization mechanism of acid phosphatase (AP) using natural clays (allophanic and montmorillonite) and nanoclays as support materials. Also, we evaluated the mineralization of organic P containing in decomposed cattle dung with clay- and nanoclay-AP complexes by incubation studies. Clays and nanoclays were characterized by microscopy techniques as atomic force and confocal-laser scanning microscopy. We found that these support materials stabilized AP by encapsulation. Our results showed that immobilization on allophanic or montmorillonite materials improved both the specific activity (4-48%) and the V_max (28-38%) of AP. Moreover, the enzyme had a better performance when immobilized on clay and nanoclay from Andisol than on montmorillonite materials. Phosphorous mineralization of cattle dung was regulated by water-soluble P present in the dung and P re-adsorption on allophanic materials. However, we were able to detect a potential capacity of AP immobilized on allophanic nanoclays as the best alternative for P mineralization. Further research with initially low water-soluble P containing organic materials is required to quantify the P mineralization potential and bioavailability of P from dung.     

Analysis of PM2.5and PM10 in the Atmosphere of Mexico City during 2000-2002

Abstract

During the last 10 years, high atmospheric concentrations of airborne particles recorded in the Mexico City metropolitan area have caused concern because of their potential harmful effects on human health. Four monitoring campaigns have been carried out in the Mexico City metropolitan area during 2000-2002 at three sites: (1) Xalos-toc, located in an industrial region; (2) La Merced, located in a commercial area; and (3) Pedregal, located in a residential area. Results of gravimetric and chemical analyses of 330 samples of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM₁₀) indicate that (1) PM_2.5/PM₁₀ average ratios were 0.42, 0.46, and 0.52 for Xalostoc, La Merced, and Pedregal, respectively; (2) the highest PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations were found at the industrial site; (3) PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations were lower at nighttime; (4) PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ spatial averages concentrations were 35 and 76 μg/m³, respectively; and (5) when the PM_2.5 standard was exceeded, nitrate, sulfate, ammonium, organic carbon, and elemental carbon concentrations were high. Twenty-four hour averaged PM_2.5 concentrations in Mexico City and Sao Paulo were similar to those recorded in the 1980s in Los Angeles. PM₁₀ concentrations were comparable in Sao Paulo and Mexico City but 3-fold lower than those found in Santiago.     

Bioremediation of soil contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP) using humic acids bound on zeolite

We determined the toxicity of various chlorophenols, especially pentachlorophenol (PCP), on five bacterial strains and studied PCP biodegradation in soils amended with an organomineral complex (OMC) prepared from humic acids (organic part) bound on zeolite (inorganic part). Both components of OMC have excellent sorption properties and are of natural origin and therefore suitable to be used in the environment. Toxicity of chlorophenols depends not only on the number of chlorine atoms but also on their position on aromatic ring, and is thus regiospecific. Biodegradation of PCP was studied in three real completely characterized soil samples, Chernozem, Fluvisol, and Regosol, with and without the addition of OMC. The soils were sterilized and bioaugmented with the bacterial isolate Comamonas testosteroni CCM 7530. The immobilization effect of OMC in relation to PCP depends on the concentration of humic acids (HAs), the PCP concentration, and the content of organic carbon in soil. The microbial activity and the simulated action of acid rains led to the gradual release and biodegradation of the reversibly bound PCP without no initial toxic effect on indigenous or bioaugmented microorganisms. OMC appeared to be a good trap for PCP with potential applications in remediation technology because it reduces the potential toxicity of PCP to microbial community by lowering its bioavailability and thus facilitates its biodegradation.     

Survey of organochlorine pesticides in horticultural soils and there grown Cucurbitaceae

Organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are still found in food and feed crops although they were applied about 40 years ago. There is a considerable knowledge gap concerning the extent of soil and crop contamination by OCP. We performed two surveys in 2002 and 2005 to assess the loads of OCP in 41 Swiss horticultural fields under organic and conventional production and corresponding Cucurbitaceae fruits (cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkin), whereas these fields stay for intensive agricultural production in Europe. In addition, soil organic carbon, texture, and pH were measured also. OCP were detected in 27 out of 41 fields (65.9%). The farming practice had no influence on the contamination or level of OCP in soil. The sum of OCP-loads per field ranged from <0.01 to 1.3mgkg(-1) dry soil and pentachloroaniline (PCA, 2.1mgkg(-1)), p,p'-DDT (0.5mgkg(-1)), and p,p'-DDE and dieldrin (0.4mgkg(-1)) were the most detected pesticides over all investigated soils. PCA (up to 0.02mgkg(-1)), dieldrin (up to 0.04mgkg(-1)), alpha-chlordane and cis-heptachloroepoxide (<0.01mgkg(-1)) were detected in five cucumber samples out of 41 Cucurbitaceae samples. Statistical analysis revealed no significant influence of the measured soil properties on the OCP-load of soils and cucumbers, although there is evidence that the bioavailability of OCP in soils to Cucurbitaceae plants was influenced by the sorption of the compounds to soil organic matter and by the polarity of the pesticide molecules. It is suggested, that OCP contamination is widespread in all European regions with intensive plant production and associated pesticide use, and deserves more attention with respect to save food production.     

Field evaluation of nitrogen availability from fresh and composted manure

Prediction of manure nitrogen availability to crops is key to ensuring adequate production while minimizing potential adverse environmental impacts. This field study estimated first-year and residual N availability from several manures subjected to various levels of processing, and evaluated the applicability of the pre-sidedress soil N test (PSNT) in fields receiving the different manures using corn (Zea mays L.) as the test crop. Plots received several rates of fresh (FP), dried (DP), or composted (CP) poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) manure, composted cow (Bos taurus) (CC) manure, ammonium nitrate (AN), or no N. Crop yields and N uptake from plots where CC was applied were undistinguishable from controls in most years, whereas poultry manures significantly increased corn production. Average apparent first-year N availability, as measured by fertilizer equivalence, was 57, 53, 14, and 4% for FP, DP, CP, and CC respectively. Apparent second-year N availability, as measured by relative effectiveness, was 18, 19, 12, and 7% for FP, DP, CP, and CC; however, for CC both first- and second-year estimates of apparent N recovery (ANR) could statistically not be separated from the controls. Apparent nitrogen avail-ability was greater for less processed manures and for CP compared to CC, emphasizing that producers should know the source and level of compost stability when these materials are used as a primary nutrient source. The PSNT successfully (87% correct) identified sites with a critical value of 24 mg kg(-1) that were N sufficient across a variety of N amendments from those that would have benefitted from additional N input.     

A method for measuring the anoxic biodegradability under denitrifying conditions

A test for assessing the anoxic biodegradability of organic compounds under denitrifying conditions is proposed. The method is based on the recovery and quantification of the CO2 produced, which is evidence of complete biodegradation of the test compound (added as the sole carbon source). The tests were carried out in a mineral medium, with nitrate as electron acceptor. Whole lake sediments, sediment extracts and a commercial inoculum were assayed as a possible inoculum source by means of glucose biodegradability tests. It was found that the sediment extracts constitute a suitable and environmentally-relevant inoculum source, since they add non-significant amounts of carbon to the tests. Two xenobiotic compounds, namely, aniline and phenol, were tested in the aforementioned conditions as well as in a standard aerobic biodegradability test. Both aniline and phenol attained a biodegradation level higher than 60% in a short time period (<28 days) and thus can be considered as readily biodegradable in denitrifying environments. Nevertheless, the kinetics obtained in the anoxic test were slower than in aerobic conditions, and even suggested the accumulation of intermediate metabolites in the case of phenol. The results of this study indicate that the fate of xenobiotic compounds under anoxic conditions differs from that observed in an oxic environment, and therefore it should be considered by standard biodegradability testing procedures.     

Ecosystem Services and Economic Assessment of Land Uses in Urban and Periurban Areas

Environmental Management - This work quantified ecosystem services (ES) and the geographic gross product (GGP) at municipal level in the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires (MRBA), Argentina. The...     

Seasonal variation in trace metals concentrations in the Ialomita River, Romania

Sampling streams for metals is an important aspect of water-quality monitoring. Using ICP-AES the concentration of some microelements in the Ialomi?a River (Romania) were determined. In order to grasp the different phases of the river regime, samples were collected from its water-sediment interface at seven locations along the river, during three campaigns: during snow melting periods in the mountain zones (April), the period of reduced flow and high water temperature (August) and the period of high precipitations (November). HNO3 was added to the samples for fixation. Cadmium and copper appear accidentally; lead was detected only in samples collected in the vicinity of roads; the MAC (maximum admitted concentration) for surface waters is exceeded for nickel and chromium in samples collected in April and respectively in April and November; zinc concentrations were usually above the MAC; molybdenum concentration was above the set reference value, especially for samples collected in April and November. Possible explanations are given for the presence of the investigated microelements along the river.