Biomarkers of carcinogenic contaminants in baltic flounder (Platichthys flesus)

In order to study effects of environmental contamination, a suite of biomarkers were measured over the period 1996 to 1999 in livers of flounder (Platichthys flesus) from two urban embayments and one non-urban reference site of the Gulf of Finland in the vicinity of Tallinn, Estonia. Total cytochrorne P450 (CYP) level, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), 5-amino-levulinic acid synthetase (ALA-S), and heme synthetase (HEM-S) activities were quantified by means of spectrophotometry. These data were compared to results obtained in 1994 for the same biomarkers at one of the urban embayments and the non-urban site, as measured by the same protocols. For the flounder collected from the non-urban site, changes occurred in AHH activity and the total CYP level, which were significantly lower in 1996 and 1999 compared with 1994 (p< 0.05). Activity of ALA-S de-creased slightly over this same period. The activity of HEM-S increased between 1996 and 1999. In the urban site first investigated in 1994, the activities of AHH and ALA-S, as well as the total level of CYP in flounder liver were significantly higher compared with 1999 (p< 0.05). HEM-S activities did not show any significant changes over this time period. AHH activities of flounder collected in another urban site decreased slightly between 1996 and 1999, in contrast to data on the total CYP level which diminished drastically over these years (p< 0.05). Activities of HEM-S increased significantly (p< 0.05) during the period investigated, while activities of ALA-S remained unchanged. These findings suggest that contamination of the marine environments by PAHs has gone down everywhere in the Tallinn area during the last 3 to 5 years. However, the results indicate that the area is still contaminated, as indicated by elevated heme synthesis enzymes and the total CYP content, and that monitoring of contaminants and their effects should be continued in this region.     

Big projects,big problems

Our environmental concerns prompt launching large monitoring programs. Examining the history and accomplishments of similar endeavors is the best way to avoid errors. One lesson taught by the oldest and largest survey of national renewable resources in the United States, the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, is that the program itself is not capable of learning from its errors. Among other problems that beset big programs are unrealistic promises. It is not possible to inventory every animal and plant species in the United States and their habitats as the newly created National Biological Survey vows to do. Even if it were possible, this would hardly help to attain the ultimate goal of the Survey, survival of all species. In his request to fund the Survey, Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, compared the conflict between economic development and environmental integrity with train wrecks. This metaphor is as brilliant as it is deceitful. Its brilliance, attested by the success with the press and legislature, is in a vivid and blithe image suggesting that, given sufficient information, the conflict could be averted. After all, railroad accidents are rare and avoidable exceptions. This hopeful situation cannot be honestly compared with the plight of our environment. The crucial piece of information — that there is no spare track for economic development — is readily available. Our population and economic growth take place in the same space that has already been fully occupied by other species. To be trustworthy, monitoring programs should face the reality that development necessitates environmental degradation.     

Theoretical aspects of fluoride air contaminant formation in aluminium smelter potrooms

The amount of particulate fluorides evolved from aluminium electrolysis cells is not entirely accounted for by the fluorides entrained in the anode gas. The largest additional source of particulate fluoride formation is by direct evaporation of fluorides into the anode gas stream and subsequent condensation on the drops of electrolyte generated in the process of bubble burst. A theoretical model was used for the calculation of the main physical parameters responsible for the formation of particle nuclei when the hot anode-gas is mixed with ambient air. The results of these calculations are in agreement with experimental observations reported in the literature. In particular, the size distribution, composition and morphology of the nano-particles support the theory of a vapour condensation mechanism under conditions of extreme supersaturation, but further studies are necessary.     

Microbial community response to addition of polylactate compounds to stimulate hexavalent chromium reduction in groundwater

To evaluate the efficacy of bioimmobilization of Cr(VI) in groundwater at the Department of Energy Hanford site, we conducted a series of microcosm experiments using a range of commercial electron donors with varying degrees of lactate polymerization (polylactate). These experiments were conducted using Hanford Formation sediments (coarse sand and gravel) immersed in Hanford groundwater, which were amended with Cr(VI) and several types of lactate-based electron donors (Hydrogen Release Compound, HRC; primer-HRC, pHRC; extended release HRC) and the polylactate-cysteine form (Metal Remediation Compound, MRC). The results showed that polylactate compounds stimulated an increase in bacterial biomass and activity to a greater extent than sodium lactate when applied at equivalent carbon concentrations. At the same time, concentrations of headspace hydrogen and methane increased and correlated with changes in the microbial community structure. Enrichment of Pseudomonas spp. occurred with all lactate additions, and enrichment of sulfate-reducing Desulfosporosinus spp. occurred with almost complete sulfate reduction. The results of these experiments demonstrate that amendment with the pHRC and MRC forms result in effective removal of Cr(VI) from solution most likely by both direct (enzymatic) and indirect (microbially generated reductant) mechanisms.     

Large-scale aircraft observations of ultra-fine and fine particle concentrations in the remote Siberian troposphere: New particle formation studies

Ultra-fine particle number concentrations were measured over Siberia during two large-scale airborne measurement campaigns in April and September 2006. During both campaigns, an aircraft flew between Novosibirsk and Yakutsk, collecting every 200 km vertical profiles up to 7 km. This dataset was completed by 5 years of monthly profiles above Novosibirsk. Particle number concentration was measured in the size ranges 3–70 and 70–200 nm, along with other tracers. Free troposphere (FT) particle concentrations (N_3–200) varied between 60 and 460 cm^?3, inferior to boundary layer concentrations (100–7000 cm^?3). In April, high concentrations of ～500 cm^?3 were observed in a polluted air mass recently uplifted at 5–6 km altitude over eastern Siberia, with no sign of significant new particle formation. In September, particle concentrations decreased with altitude, but with a steeper gradient in N_70–200 compared to N_3–70, the latter accounting for 90% of the total particle concentration in the free troposphere at 6–7 km altitude. Because ultra-fine particles presumably have short lifetimes, these observed particles could have been formed in situ in the clean Siberian atmosphere. Two cases of possible nucleation with high concentration and N_3–70/N_70–200 ratios are reported for the September campaign, in the upper troposphere and in cloud outflow in the mid-troposphere. In the seasonal analysis, a FT N_3–70 maximum is found in July–August between 6 and 7 km altitude, with N_3–70 accounting for ～90% of N_3–200 supporting the hypothesis of in situ formation in the FT. A secondary FT maximum of N_3–70 was identified later in autumn. In the boundary layer, seasonally maximum N_3–70 concentrations were found over Novosibirsk in May and September, but not in summer, possibly due to scavenging by precipitations and a large condensational sink from biomass burning aerosols. Our dataset has a limited size resolution and no speciation capability; more investigation is thus required to understand the conditions leading to in situ nucleation processes in the Siberian air shed.     

Land Degradation at the Stara Planina Ski Resort

The environmental impacts of ski resorts in the Balkan region are great and can lead to landscape degradation and loss of land functionality. In this study, we present an example of the negative effects of human activities at the Stara Planina ski resort in southeastern Serbia. The objective of this study is detailed analysis of the characteristics of environmental impacts at the Stara Planina. The management of the ski area and ski slope development caused severe degradation of topsoil and native vegetation. The morphological characteristics of the area, lithological properties of the exposed material and climate conditions resulted in various geomorphic impacts, including rills, deep gullies, solifluctions and debris from rock weathering. Significant changes in land usage altered hydrological conditions, resulting in more frequent torrential floods in the downstream sections of the Zubska River and increased the sediment yield. Environmental impacts were analyzed in the immediate and wider zones of the ski resort in accordance with the specific topography and visual exposure. The restoration and erosion control measures have stopped degradation processes and helped to rehabilitate the appearance and functions of the landscape. The results show the importance of considering lithological (the type and characteristics of minerals present) and hydrological (precipitation, water storage capacity of soil, runoff) factors under the conditions of significant changes in land usage. The results of this investigation can contribute to the improvement of planning processes and the implementation of development projects in ski areas.     

Exploring the potential of applying proteomics for tracking bisphenol A and nonylphenol degradation in activated sludge

A significant percentage of bisphenol A and nonylphenol removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants relies on biodegradation. Nonetheless, incomplete information is available concerning their degradation pathways performed by microbial communities in activated sludge systems. Hydroquinone dioxygenase (HQDO) is a specific degradation marker enzyme, involved in bisphenol A and nonylphenol biodegradation, and it can be produced by axenic cultures of the bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3. Proteomics, a technique based on the analysis of microbial community proteins, was applied to this strain. The bacterium proteome map was obtained and a HQDO subunit was successfully identified. Additionally, the reliability of the applied proteomics protocol was evaluated in activated sludge samples. Proteins belonging to Sphingomonas were searched at decreasing biomass ratios, i.e. serially diluting the bacterium in activated sludge. The protein patterns were compared and Sphingomonas proteins were discriminated against the ones from sludge itself on 2D-gels. The detection limit of the applied protocol was defined as 10^?3 g TTNP3 g^?1 total suspended solids (TSSs). The results proved that proteomics can be a promising methodology to assess the presence of specific enzymes in activated sludge samples, however improvements of its sensitivity are still needed.     

Karst aquifers on small islands—the island of Olib, Croatia

Water supply is a major problem in the Adriatic islands, especially during the summer tourism season, and represents a limiting factor to the islands' further economic development. Much attention has been given to water supply solutions, primarily in terms of attempting to use the existing island water. Unfortunately, few islands have favourable hydrological conditions to accumulate significant quantities of surface water or groundwater. In the period from 2001 to 2004, investigations were conducted on many islands to define their own freshwater or partially brackish water resources since desalinisation technology could resolve a significant part of the water supply demand on small and distant islands. Due to the specificity and complexity of research in karst areas, the study was conducted in phases and included the geological and hydrogeological reconnaissance of the island, aimed at locating possible areas on the island where the necessary quantities of groundwater of adequate quality could be captured; a detailed hydrogeological mapping of the specified areas, geophysical investigation and test drilling; and, over several days, test pumping of the most promising borehole. One of the islands investigated was the island of Olib. The conducted surveys indicated that it is possible to pump about 3.5 L/s of groundwater from the karst aquifer of the island of Olib, which fully complies with the sanitary quality of drinking water.     

Evaluating the effect of vehicle impoundment policy on illegal construction and demolition waste dumping: Israel as a case study

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste dumped alongside roads and in open areas is a major source of soil and underground water pollution. Since 2006, Israeli ministry for environmental protection enacted a policy of vehicle impoundment (VI) according to which track drivers caught while dumping C&D waste illegally have their vehicles impounded. The present study attempted to determine whether the VI policy was effective in increasing the waste hauling to authorized landfill sites, thus limiting the number of illegal unloads of C&D waste at unauthorized landfill sites and in open areas. During the study, changes in the ratio between the monthly amount of C&D waste brought to authorized landfills sites and the estimated total amount of C&D waste generated in different administrative districts of Israel were examined, before and after the enactment of the 2006 VI policy. Short questionnaires were also distributed among local track drivers in order to determine the degree of awareness about the policy in question and estimate its deterrence effects. According to the study’s results, in the district of Haifa, in which the VI policy was stringently enacted, the ratio between C&D waste, dumped in authorized landfill sites, and the total amount of generated C&D waste, increased, on the average, from 20% in January 2004 to 35% in October 2009, with the effect attributed to the number of vehicle impoundments being highly statistically significant (t = 2.324; p < 0.05). By contrast, in the Jerusalem and Southern districts, in which the VI policy was less stringently enforced, the effect of VI on the above ratio was found to be insignificant (p > 0.1). The analysis of the questionnaires, distributed among the local truck drivers further indicated that the changes observed in the district of Haifa are not coincident and appeared to be linked to the VI policy’s enactment. In particular, 62% of the truck drivers, participated in the survey, were aware of the policy and 47% of them personally knew a driver whose vehicle was impounded. Furthermore, the drivers estimated the relative risk of being caught for unloading C&D waste in unauthorized sites, on the average, as high as 67%, which is likely to become a deterrent on its own. Our conclusion is that the VI policy appears to have a deterring effect on truck drivers, by encouraging them to haul C&D waste to authorized landfill sites. As we suggest, the research methodology implemented in the study and its results may help policy makers in other regions and countries, which experience similar environment enforcement problem, to analyze policy responses.