Evaluation of the optimal washing conditions for dioxin-contaminated soils from the circumference of an incinerator

 The optimal soil-washing conditions for dioxins were estimated on a soil sample from the circumference of an incinerator in Nose City, Osaka, Japan. The solvents ethanol, methanol, and acetone, together with a surfactant (100% of each) could extract 40% of the dioxins from contaminated soil at room temperature. From among these solvents, ethanol was chosen for a study on how to optimize the extraction conditions because of its low toxicity and its economic advantages. The time-course of the agitation showed that the extraction rate increased for 1 min, and thereafter the rate decreased. Therefore, the agitation time was fixed at 1 min. To estimate the effect of temperature on the extraction rate, the extraction temperature was changed. The amount of dioxins extracted was largest at the boiling point of ethanol (78.3°C), giving about 76% extraction. Furthermore, at this temperature, almost 100% of the dioxins in the contaminated soil were extracted when the ratio of water to ethanol was 20%. Received: March 6, 2002 / Accepted: September 9, 2002     

Adapting the bioblitz to meet conservation needs

When conservation strategies require new, field‐based information, practitioners must find the best ways to rapidly deliver high‐quality survey data. To address this challenge, several rapid‐assessment approaches have been developed since the early 1990s. These typically involve large areas, take many months to complete, and are not appropriate when conservation‐relevant survey data are urgently needed for a specific locale. In contrast, bioblitzes are designed for quick collection of site‐specific survey data. Although bioblitzes are commonly used to achieve educational or public‐engagement goals, conservation practitioners are increasingly using a modified bioblitz approach to generate conservation‐relevant data while simultaneously enhancing research capacity and building working partnerships focused on conservation concerns. We term these modified events expert bioblitzes. Several expert bioblitzes have taken place on lands of conservation concern in Southern California and have involved collaborative efforts of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, botanic gardens, museums, and universities. The results of expert bioblitzes directly informed on‐the‐ground conservation and decision‐making; increased capacity for rapid deployment of expert bioblitzes in the future; and fostered collaboration and communication among taxonomically and institutionally diverse experts. As research and conservation funding becomes increasingly scarce, expert bioblitzes can play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation.     

Gram-negative bacteria responsible for insoluble technetium formation and the fate of insoluble Tc in the water column above flooded paddy soil

We studied the characteristic gram-stain of Tc insolubilizing bacteria using various antibiotics, and the fate of insoluble Tc in a water column above flooded paddy soil to clarify Tc behavior in paddy fields. The formation of insoluble Tc in water column samples was inhibited by the addition of antibiotics, especially reagents against gram-negative bacteria. For a sample without antibiotics, insoluble Tc formation increased with time, and the maximum amount of insoluble Tc was observed on day 4 of incubation with (95m)Tc. In contrast, concentrations of ferrous ion decreased with time. These results suggested that gram-negative bacteria were mainly responsible for insoluble Tc formation, and that these bacteria were able to transform soluble Tc to insoluble forms under oxidizing conditions.     

Degradation of chlorinated dioxin in denitrifying activated sludge from leachate treatment plant of a landfill

The degradation rate of dioxins added to the activated sludge from a leachate treatment plant of a landfill under denitrification conditions was estimated using six bioreactors. Over 99% of the added dioxins (600ng) were degraded within 7 days. Furthermore, continuous cultivation was carried out for 1 month. The activated sludge degraded 600ng of dioxins (that is, all of the added dioxins) placed in each reactor every 7 days, and this activity was maintained for 35 days. Under aerobic conditions with this sludge, the dioxins were not degraded in 7 days, but 90% of the 600ng of dioxins was degraded in 35 days. The high level of activity observed in the present study may only occur under anaerobic conditions, especially under denitrifying conditions.     

A knowledge network to promote the use and valorization of wild food plants in the Pantanal and Cerrado,Brazil

Regional Environmental Change - The conservation and use of wild food plants should include local people in the decision-making process, and many countries have done so. However, interacting with...     

Feasible conditions for Japanese woody biomass utilization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - There is an abundance of woody biomass in Japan. However, its economic feasibility is limited. There have been several discussions on whether...     

College and university environmental programs as a policy problem (part 2): strategies for improvement

Environmental studies and environmental sciences programs in American and Canadian colleges and universities seek to ameliorate environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. In a companion article (Part 1) we describe the environmental program movement (EPM) and discuss factors that have hindered its performance. Here, we complete our analysis by proposing strategies for improvement. We recommend that environmental programs re-organize around three principles. First, adopt as an overriding goal the concept of human dignity??defined as freedom and social justice in healthy, sustainable environments. This clear higher-order goal captures the human and environmental aspirations of the EPM and would provide a more coherent direction for the efforts of diverse participants. Second, employ an explicit, genuinely interdisciplinary analytical framework that facilitates the use of multiple methods to investigate and address environmental and social problems in context. Third, develop educational programs and applied experiences that provide students with the technical knowledge, powers of observation, critical thinking skills and management acumen required for them to become effective professionals and leaders. Organizing around these three principles would build unity in the EPM while at the same time capitalizing on the strengths of the many disciplines and diverse local conditions involved.