Efficiency of recycled wool-based nonwoven material for the removal of oils from water

The aim of this study was to highlight the potential use of recycled wool-based nonwoven material for the removal of diesel fuel, crude, base, vegetable and motor oil from water. Sorption capacity of the material in water and in oil without water, oil retention, sorbent reusability and buoyancy in static and dynamic conditions were investigated. The results show high sorption capacity of recycled wool for different kinds of oil. This sorbent also exhibited excellent buoyancy after 24h of sorption as well as a good reusability since the decrease in sorption capacity did not exceed 50% of the initial value after five sorption cycles in oil without water.     

Cold Atmospheric Plasma as a Novel Method for Inactivation of Potato Virus Y in Water Samples

Food and Environmental Virology - While one of the biggest problems we are facing today is water scarcity, enormous quantities of water are still being used in irrigation. If contaminated, this...     

Concentrations and speciation of arsenic in groundwater polluted by warfare agents

Groundwater polluted with phenylarsenicals from former warfare agent deposits and their metabolites was investigated with respect to the behavior of relevant arsenic species. Depth profiles at the estimated source and at about 1 km downgradient from the source zone were sampled. The source zone is characterized by high total arsenic concentrations up to 16 mg L⁻¹ and is dominated by organic arsenic compounds. The concentrations in the downgradient region are much lower (up to 400 μg L⁻¹) and show a high proportion of inorganic arsenic species. Iron precipitation seems to be an effective mechanism to prevent dispersion of inorganic arsenic as well as phenylarsonic acid. Reductive conditions were observed in the deeper zone with predominant occurrence of trivalent arsenic species. The inorganic species are in redox equilibrium, whereas the phenylarsenic compounds have variable proportions. Methylphenylarsinic acid was identified in groundwater in traces which indicates microbial degradation activity.     

The Relative Importance of Road Density and Physical Watershed Features in Determining Coastal Marsh Water Quality in Georgian Bay

We used a GIS-based approach to examine the influence of road density and physical watershed features (watershed size, wetland cover, and bedrock type) on water quality in coastal marshes of Georgian Bay, Ontario. We created a GIS that included landscape information and water-quality data from a 9-year synoptic survey of 105 coastal marshes covering 28 quaternary watersheds. Multiple regressions and partial correlations were used to discern confounding effects of human-induced (road density) versus natural physical watershed determinants of water quality. Road density was the dominant factor influencing many water quality variables, showing positive correlations with specific conductivity (COND), total suspended solids (TSS), and inorganic suspended solids (ISS) and a negative correlation with overall Water Quality Index scores. Road density also showed positive correlations with total nitrate nitrogen (TNN) and total phosphorus (TP). By comparison, larger watershed area was the main factor leading to elevated TP concentrations. The proportion of the watershed occupied by wetlands explained the largest amount of variation in TNN concentrations (negative correlation) and was also negatively correlated with COND and positively correlated with TSS and ISS when we controlled for road density. Bedrock type did not have a significant effect in any of the models. Our findings suggest that road density is currently the overriding factor governing water quality of coastal marshes in Georgian Bay during the summer low-flow period. We recommend that natural variation in physical watershed characteristics be considered when developing water quality standards and management practices for freshwater coastal areas.     

Electrochemical EDTA recycling with sacrificial Al anode for remediation of Pb contaminated soil

Recycling chelant is a precondition for cost-effective EDTA-based soil remediation. Extraction with EDTA removed 67.5% of Pb from the contaminated soil and yielded washing solution with 1535 mg L⁻¹ Pb and 33.4 mM EDTA. Electrochemical treatment of the washing solution using Al anode, current density 96 mA cm⁻² and pH 10 removed 90% of Pb from the solution (by electrodeposition on the stainless steel cathode) while the concentration of EDTA in the treated solution remained the same. The obtained data indicate that the Pb in the EDTA complex was replaced by electro-corroded Al after electro-reduction of the EDTA and subsequently removed from the solution. Additional soil extraction with the treated washing solution resulted in total removal of 87% of Pb from the contaminated soil. The recycled EDTA retained the Pb extraction potential through several steps of soil extraction and washing solution treatment, although part of the EDTA was lost by soil absorption.     

Community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated to Veronica rechingeri at the Anguran zinc and lead mining region

Root colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were analyzed in Veronica rechingeri growing in heavy metal (HM) and non-polluted soils of the Anguran Zn and Pb mining region (Iran). Three species could be separated morphologically, while phylogenetic analyses after PCR amplification of the ITS region followed by RFLP and sequencing revealed seven different AMF sequence types all within the genus Glomus. Rarefaction analysis confirmed exhaustive molecular characterization of the AMF diversity present within root samples. Increasing heavy metal contamination between the sites studied was accompanied by a decrease in AMF spore numbers, mycorrhizal colonization parameters and the number of AMF sequence types colonizing the roots. Some AMF sequence types were only found at sites with the highest and lowest soil HM contents, respectively.     

Organochlorine-induced histopathology in kidney and liver tissue from Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)

The effects of persistent organic pollutants on renal and liver morphology in farmed arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) were studied under experimental conditions. Control animals received a diet containing pork (Sus scrofa) fat with low amounts of persistent organic pollutants, while the diet of the exposed animals contained whale blubber, 'naturally' contaminated with persistent organic pollutants. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and organochlorine pesticide (OCP) concentrations in the whale blubber were 488 and 395 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Animals were sacrificed and sampled when they were at their fattest (winter) as well as their lowest body weight (summer). The results show that PCB and OCP exposure causes renal (and probably also liver) lesions in arctic foxes. The prevalence of glomerular, tubular and interstitial lesions was significantly highest in the exposed group (chi-square: all p<0.05). The frequency of liver lesions (steatosis, intravascular granulocyte accumulations, interstitial cell infiltrations, lipid granulomas, portal fibrosis and bile duct hyperplasia) were also highest in the exposed group, although not significantly (chi-square: all p>0.05). The prevalence of lesions was not significantly different between lean (winter) and fat (summer) foxes for any of the lesions (chi-square: all p>0.05). We suggest that wild arctic foxes exposed to an environmental cocktail of persistent organic pollutants, such as PCBs and OCPs, in their natural diet are at risk for developing chronic kidney and liver damage. Whether such lesions may have an impact on age and health of the animals remains uncertain.     

Structure of the major metabolite of 1-propyl-3,5-diethyl-6-chlorouracil in rabbits

The major metabolite of 1-propyl-3,5-diethyl-6-chlorouracil has been identified as 6,8-diethyl-2-methyl-tetrahydrooxazolo[3,2-c]pyrimidine-5,7(4H,6H)-dione. The biotransformation to this bicyclic barbituric acid derivative takes place via substitution of the chlorine by ß- and not by α-hydroxy group of the intermediate hydroxypropane.     

Structure of the major metabolite of 5-ethyl-2′-deoxyuridine in rats

The major metabolite of 5-ethyl-2′-deoxyuridine in rats has been isolated and purified by preparative thick layer and column chromatography. By mass and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, it was identified as 5-(1-hydroxyethyl) uracil; the structure was confirmed by comparison with an authentic sample.