FIA/MS analysis of temporally ozonated benzo[a]pyrene and pyrene and their reaction products: inhibition of gap junction-mediated intercellular communication

In this study, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and pyrene, were subjected to temporal ozonation. The products from ozonation of 5 mg l(-1) BaP and 5 mg l(-1) pyrene, for varying time intervals (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 20, and 30 min) were tested for their effects on gap junction-mediated intercellular communication (GJIC) in Clone 9 rat liver cells. Additionally, the ozonation products were also analyzed by flow injection analysis/mass spectrometry (FIA/MS) and the results were compared with the toxicity observed in the GJIC assay. Treatment of the Clone 9 cells with 5 mg l(-1) of ozonated BaP products resulted in a decrease in GJIC that was inversely proportional to the length of ozonation. The products from 1 min of ozonation resulted in a 92% decrease in the rate of GJIC, but with >5 min ozonation, the products did not suppress GJIC. In contrast, pyrene (0.5 mg l(-1)) required >10 min of ozonation to alleviate its effects on GJIC. FIA/MS, using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), demonstrated products with higher molecular weights (MW) than their corresponding parent compounds, BaP (MW 252) and pyrene (MW 202). Ozonation of pyrene formed significantly fewer products than BaP. More importantly, pyrene ozonation products were constant from 1 to 10 min, while BaP ozonation products seemed to vary between time intervals. With the longer ozonation times (20 and 30 min), BaP and pyrene formed similar products (m/z peaks 157, 111, and 96). The suppression of GJIC by ozonated products seemed to correlate with oxidation of the aromatic ring framework. Further oxidation (longer ozonation times) to lower MW products correlated with restoration of normal GJIC.     

Epidemic Disease and the Catastrophic Decline of Australian Rain Forest Frogs

In the montane rain forests of eastern Australia at least 14 species of endemic, stream-dwelling frogs have disappeared or declined sharply (by more than 90%) during the past 15 years. We review available information on these declines and present eight lines of evidence that collectively suggest that a rapidly spreading, epidemic disease is the most likely responsible agent. The extreme virulence of the putative frog patbogen suggests it is likely exotic to Australian rain forests. We propose that exotic pathogens may be responsible for some recent declines of amphibian populations on other continents and that the intercontinental spread of such pathogens is greatly facilitated by human activities such as the thriving international trade in aquarium fish. Our hypothesis may help explain why some amphibian populations in seemingly pristine environments have mysteriously declined.     

Assessing Retrospective National Water Model Streamflow with Respect to Droughts and Low Flows in the Colorado River Basin

Streamflow monitoring in the Colorado River Basin (CRB) is essential to ensure diverse needs are met, especially during periods of drought or low flow. Existing stream gage networks, however, provide a limited record of past and current streamflow. Modeled streamflow products with more complete spatial and temporal coverage (including the National Water Model [NWM]), have primarily focused on flooding, rather than sustained drought or low flow conditions. Objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate historical performance of the NWM streamflow estimates (particularly with respect to droughts and seasonal low flows) and (2) identify characteristics relevant to model inputs and suitability for future applications. Comparisons of retrospective flows from the NWM to observed flows from the United States Geological Survey stream gage network over 22 years in the CRB reveal a tendency for underestimating low flow frequency, locations with low flows, and the number of years with low flows. We found model performance to be more accurate for the Upper CRB and at sites with higher precipitation, snow percent, baseflow index, and elevations. Underestimation of low flows and variable model performance has important implications for future applications: inaccurate evaluations of historical low flows and droughts, and less reliable performance outside of specific watershed/stream conditions. This highlights characteristics on which to focus future model development efforts.     

Assessment of the Commercial Potential for the High Intensity Ionizer in the Electric Utility Industry

The high intensity ionizer (HII) has reached a level of development where projections can be made of its potential for enhancing electrostatic precipitator (ESP) performance within the electric utility industry. Future ESP performance requirements are forecast based on a scenario of possible changes in regulations for mass emissions, fine particulate, and opacity. An assessment is made of the alternative means of upgrading ESP performance over the next 15 years. It is concluded that of 570 ESP estimated to require upgrading by 1995 to meet possibly more stringent regulations, approximately 20%—or 117 units—may employ HII.     

Metrics of progress in the understanding and management of threats to Australian birds

Although evidence-based approaches have become commonplace for determining the success of conservation measures for the management of threatened taxa, there are no standard metrics for assessing progress in research or management. We developed 5 metrics to meet this need for threatened taxa and to quantify the need for further action and effective alleviation of threats. These metrics (research need, research achievement, management need, management achievement, and percent threat reduction) can be aggregated to examine trends for an individual taxon or for threats across multiple taxa. We tested the utility of these metrics by applying them to Australian threatened birds, which appears to be the first time that progress in research and management of threats has been assessed for all threatened taxa in a faunal group at a continental scale. Some research has been conducted on nearly three-quarters of known threats to taxa, and there is a clear understanding of how to alleviate nearly half of the threats with the highest impact. Some management has been attempted on nearly half the threats. Management outcomes ranged from successful trials to complete mitigation of the threat, including for one-third of high-impact threats. Progress in both research and management tended to be greater for taxa that were monitored or occurred on oceanic islands. Predation by cats had the highest potential threat score. However, there has been some success reducing the impact of cat predation, so climate change (particularly drought), now poses the greatest threat to Australian threatened birds. Our results demonstrate the potential for the proposed metrics to encapsulate the major trends in research and management of both threats and threatened taxa and provide a basis for international comparisons of evidence-based conservation science.     

Development of a rotorcraft dust-emission parameterization using a CFD model

Flights of rotorcraft over the desert floor can result in significant entrainment of particulate matter into the atmospheric boundary layer. Continuous or widespread operation can lead to local and regional impacts on visibility and air quality. To account for this pollutant source in air quality models, a parameterization scheme is needed that addresses the complex vertical distribution of dust ejected from the rotorcraft wake into the atmospheric surface layer. A method to parameterize the wind and turbulence fields and shear stress at the ground is proposed here utilizing computational fluid dynamics and a parameterized rotor model. Measurements taken from a full scale experiment of rotorcraft flight near the surface are compared to the simulation results in a qualitative manner. The simulation is shown to adequately predict the forward detachment length of the induced ground jet compared to the measured detachment lengths. However, the simulated ground vortex widths and vorticity deviate substantially from the measured values under a range of flight speeds. Results show that the method may be applicable for air quality modeling assuming slow airspeeds of the rotorcraft, with advance ratios of 0.005–0.02.     

Characterization of visibility impacts related to fine particulate matter in Canada

Canada has recently established standards for the management of particulate matter (PM) air quality. National networks currently measure PM mass concentrations and chemical speciation. Methods used in the U.S. IMPROVE network are applied to the 1994--2000 Canadian fine PM data to obtain a regional reconstruction of the visibility based on particle composition. Nationally, the greatest light extinction occurs in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor. Variations in the dominant chemical species responsible for the reduction in visibility are presented for regions across the country. In most regions, sulfate and nitrate contribute most greatly to reduced visibility. The visibility implications of achieving the Canada-Wide Standard (CWS) across the country are evaluated, with the greatest improvement in visibility associated with achieving the CWS in southern Ontario. Elsewhere in the country, achieving the CWS will actually result in deteriorating air quality. Improving current estimates of visibility requires higher spatially and temporally resolved measurements of organic and elemental carbon fractions and particulate nitrate.     

Targeted sampling protocol as prelude to bacterial source tracking with Enterococcus faecalis

Recent studies suggest that host origin databases for bacterial source tracking (BST) must contain a large number of isolates because bacterial subspecies change with geography and time. A new targeted sampling protocol was developed as a prelude to BST to minimize these changes. The research was conducted on the Sapelo River, a tidal river on the Georgia coast. A general sampling of the river showed fecal enterococcal numbers ranging from <10 (below the limit of detection) to 990 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100 mL. Locations with high enterococcal numbers were combined with local knowledge to determine targeted sampling sites. Fecal enterococcal numbers around one site ranged from <10 to 24,000 CFU per 100 mL. Bacterial source tracking was conducted to determine if a wastewater treatment facility at the site was responsible for this contamination. The fecal indicator bacterium was Enterococcus faecalis. Ribotyping, automated with a RiboPrinter (DuPont Qualicon, Wilmington, DE), was the BST method. Thirty-seven ribotypes were observed among 83 Ent. faecalis isolates obtained from the Sapelo River and the wastewater lagoon. Sixteen ribotypes were associated with either the river or the lagoon, and only five ribotypes (14%) were shared. Nevertheless, these five ribotypes represented 39 of the 83 Ent. faecalis isolates, almost a majority (47%). These results suggest that the fecal contamination in the river came from the wastewater treatment facility. As a prelude to BST, targeted sampling minimized subspecies changes with geography and time, and eliminated the need for a permanent host origin database by restricting BST to a small geographic area and requiring sampling to be completed in one day.     

Pilot-scale treatment of RDX-contaminated soil with zerovalent iron

Soils in Technical Area 16 at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are severely contaminated from past explosives testing and research. Our objective was to conduct laboratory and pilot-scale experiments to determine if zerovalent iron (Fe(0)) could effectively transform RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) in two LANL soils that differed in physicochemical properties (Soils A and B). Laboratory tests indicated that Soil A was highly alkaline and needed to be acidified [with H2SO4, Al2(SO4)3, or CH3COOH] before Fe(0) could transform RDX. Pilot-scale experiments were performed by mixing Fe(0) and contaminated soil (70 kg), and acidifying amendments with a high-speed mixer that was a one-sixth replica of a field-scale unit. Soils were kept unsaturated (soil water content = 0.30-0.34 kg kg(-1)) and sampled with time (0-120 d). While adding CH3COOH improved the effectiveness of Fe(0) to remove RDX in Soil A (98% destruction), CH3COOH had a negative effect in Soil B. We believe that this difference is a result of high concentrations of organic matter and Ba. Adding CH3COOH to Soil B lowered pH and facilitated Ba release from BaSO4 or BaCO3, which decreased Fe(0) performance by promoting flocculation of humic material on the iron. Despite problems encountered with CH3COOH, pilot-scale treatment of Soil B (12 100 mg RDX kg(-1)) with Fe(0) or Fe(0) + Al2(SO4)3 showed high RDX destruction (96-98%). This indicates that RDX-contaminated soil can be remediated at the field scale with Fe(0) and soil-specific problems (i.e., alkalinity, high organic matter or Ba) can be overcome by adjustments to the Fe(0) treatment.